First repatriation flight set to touch down in Australia

Hundreds of Australians fleeing the growing conflict in the Middle East are about to touch down in Australia.

Hundreds of Australians fleeing Lebanon are about touch down on home soil after months of living in the latest strike zone of Israel’s expanding war against Iranian-backed Islamist militants.

The first batch of Australians evacuated from Lebanon to Cyprus will land in Sydney on Monday night.

“On Sunday, 448 Australians and their immediate family members left Lebanon for Cyprus on government-assisted flights, bringing the total assisted departures to more than 900,” Foreign Minister Penny Wong said on Monday.

“Tonight the first flight from Cyprus will land in Australia. We look forward to welcoming them home.”

Australian government officials assist Australians to depart Lebanon on two government-supported charter flights from Beirut airport to Larnaca, Cyprus.

Cyprus, an island off Lebanon in the Eastern Mediterranean, is the nearest safe pick-up point.

Senator Wong said the federal government was working to help more Australians get out of Lebanon but noted that flights were “subject to security and operational restrictions”.

Israel is intensifying air strikes in the Lebanese capital Beirut as part of its campaign against Hezbollah.

With the Lebanese terrorist group positioned in neighbourhoods close to Beirut’s main airport, commercial flights in and out of the city could stop at any time.

NewsWire understands 904 Australians and their immediate family members have been evacuated from Beirut to Cyprus after the Albanese government scrambled to secure seats on flights following Iran’s missile strikes on Israel last week.

Two more flights are set to leave Beirut later on Monday.

Qantas confirmed a flight departed from Sydney on Monday morning for the Cypriot city of Larnaca, where evacuees are in temporary accommodation.

“The flight is expected to depart Larnaca on Monday evening with up to 220 passengers on-board and arrive back in Sydney on Tuesday evening,” the airline said.

“Qantas will then fly passengers to their nearest home domestic airport that the airline operates to at no cost.”

In addition to medical personnel on the flight, Qantas said the Australian Red Cross would be “on the ground at Sydney airport on Tuesday to provide psychological first aid and other referral support for those returning home”.

The carrier said it would run a second flight expected to depart Larnaca on Wednesday.

Originally published as First repatriation flight set to touch down in Australia