UK warships heading for Lebanon

BBC

Defence Secretary Des Browne has given orders for HMS Illustrious and HMS Bulwark to “make ready” for operations off Lebanon.

The pair will depart as soon as necessary, possibly within 24 hours.

No order for evacuating UK citizens has yet been given, but ministers and defence staff are considering a plan to evacuate those trapped in Lebanon.

It comes as Israel has stepped up its strikes in Lebanon after Hezbollah militants seized two Israeli soldiers.

‘Contingency planning’

HMS Illustrious is currently in Gibraltar and HMS Bulwark is close to Spain.

The decision whether to proceed with an evacuation plan has not yet been taken and no orders have been given.

The Foreign Office has urged British citizens to keep a low profile and warned against travelling there.

Meetings on the evacuation plan are taking place at the Ministry of Defence.

An MoD spokeswoman said the two ships had been given “no specific tasking”, but added: “As you would expect we are monitoring the situation closely and are engaging in prudent contingency planning.”

“As part of this HMS Illustrious and HMS Bulwark will shortly head towards the region,” she said.

‘Planes and bombs’

Meanwhile British student Karen Wild from Sheffield, who is in the Lebanese capital, Beirut, told BBC News 24 that she did “not feel safe”.

She said she had spoken to the British embassy in Beirut who had told her to “stay put, stay inside” for the time being.

“It is quite unnerving when you hear the planes and bombs coming,” said the student of Arabic.

Ms Wild said fellow Canadian, Spanish and Italian students had been evacuated in the past few days.

Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert has said the offensive against Lebanese targets will continue until Hezbollah releases the soldiers and stops firing rockets at Israel.