Image credits: The Times of Israel
Amid escalating tensions between Israel and Hezbollah, UAE residents in Beirut are scrambling to return home as governments urge their citizens to evacuate Lebanon. The rise in fears of an all-out war has led to a significant increase in demand for flights out of the Lebanese capital, exacerbating the crisis for those already stranded.
Dubai resident Tarek Sayyad, who was in Beirut, expressed his frustration over the soaring flight prices and fully booked flights. “Luckily, I booked my flight on Middle East Airlines two weeks ago,” Sayyad said to The National.”I bought my return ticket for $550, but now all flights are booked for August, and prices have increased twofold.”
Residents like Sayyad are grappling with not just safety concerns but also logistical challenges as travel plans are disrupted. “In Lebanon, life presents a paradox,” he told The National. “People are concerned about their safety and the possibility of being stranded because of flight cancellations.”
On Sunday, numerous countries, including France and the U.S., updated their travel advisories for Lebanon and Israel, urging citizens to leave as soon as possible. This advisory follows recent violence, including the assassination of a senior Hezbollah commander in Beirut and Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh in Tehran.
Amid these developments, UAE resident Tracy, who is set to marry in Lebanon later this month, is facing her own set of challenges. She reported that many of her wedding guests have cancelled their plans due to the unrest. “It’s mostly foreigners who are thinking of leaving,” Tracy, an interior designer, told The National. “Lebanese expats aren’t panicking as much because we know the areas where threats are concentrated.”
Tracy noted that while leaving Lebanon is relatively straightforward for locals, the situation is different for international visitors. “So far, guests from the U.S. and Canada have cancelled. The rest are scheduled to arrive on August 10, but it will depend on the flight situation then,” she said to The National.