Two Canadians have been killed and three injured in Lebanon as the fighting between Israel and the Lebanese militant group Hezbollah escalates.
Global Affairs Canada confirmed the deaths, with the agency telling Global News on Wednesday that it was “aware of the deaths of two Canadian citizens” and “officials stand ready to provide consular assistance.”
GAC did not share any further details, citing privacy concerns.
Foreign Affairs Minister Melanie Joly also confirmed that three Canadians were injured in Lebanon.
“I would like to give my condolences to the families and loved ones of the Canadians that have been killed or injured and my goal is to be in contact with the families in the coming hours,” Joly told reporters in Ottawa before question period on Wednesday.
Tensions between Israel and Hezbollah have mounted after a deadly wave of bombings across Lebanon last week in which explosives hidden in pagers and walkie-talkies killed dozens of people and wounded thousands, including many Hezbollah members.
The Lebanese government and Hezbollah have blamed Israel for the remote attack. But Israel has neither confirmed nor denied responsibility.
On Wednesday, the Israeli army chief said the military is preparing for a possible ground operation in Lebanon in response to the rising tensions with the Hezbollah militant group.
The announcement came hours after Hezbollah hurled dozens of projectiles into Israel, including a missile aimed at Tel Aviv that was the militant group’s deepest strike yet.
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau described it as a “horrific situation” unfolding in Lebanon.
“We need to see both Israel and Hezbollah de-escalate. We need to see an end to the violence. We need to see civilians protected.”
'Canadians should leave now'
As the tensions ratchet up, Canadians are being urged to leave Lebanon immediately and not count on government-assisted evacuations, which are an “option of last resort,” GAC said.
“The Government of Canada is reiterating that Canadians should leave now, while the airport is still accessible and commercial airline options remain available,” GAC said.
The department told Global News that over the weekend it saw an increase in the number of enquiries at its Emergency Watch and Response centre, with most of the requests related to departure options, travel documents and visas.
“Canada is not currently offering assisted departures or evacuations for Canadians in Lebanon and there is never a guarantee the Canadian government will evacuate Canadians in a crisis situation,” GAC said.
“Canadians should not rely on the Government of Canada for assisted departure or evacuation.”
Joly said Canada pre-positioned assets in the region weeks ago, in case there was a need to evacuate people from Lebanon.
“When it comes to the evacuations, as I said the plans are ready, we will be working also with our allies on this issue,” she said, but stressed that commercial flights remain the safest option to leave Lebanon.
“Of course, we will never let down the Canadian Lebanese community. At the same time, what I say to Canadians now in Lebanon: not only is it time to leave, but also commercial flights are still available and it is, at the end of the day, the most safe and the simplest way to come back home.”
The New Democratic Party called on the Liberal government to help get Canadians out of Lebanon.
Speaking to reporters in Ottawa on Wednesday, NDP MP Alexandre Boulerice said thousands of Lebanese Canadians worried about their family members in Lebanon “want to see some action” from the government, and dismissed concerns about the scope of such an operation.
“It must be a massive undertaking because there’s a massive number of Canadians who are trapped there, and it is a very dangerous area right now,” Boulerice said. “We don’t know what (will happen) in the next days and weeks, so we have to do everything that is possible.”
Boulerice also called on the government to put pressure on Israel to stop its strikes in Gaza and Lebanon.
Tensions between Israel and Hezbollah have steadily escalated over the last 11 months. Hezbollah has been firing rockets, missiles and drones into northern Israel in solidarity with Palestinians in Gaza and its ally Hamas, a fellow Iran-backed militant group.
Israel has responded with increasingly heavy airstrikes and the targeted killing of Hezbollah commanders while threatening a wider operation.
Nearly a year of fighting between Hezbollah and Israel had already displaced tens of thousands of people on both sides of the border before this week’s escalation.
Israel has vowed to do whatever it takes to ensure its citizens can return to their homes in the north, while Hezbollah has said it will keep up its rocket attacks until there is a cease-fire in Gaza, something that appears increasingly remote.
GAC said “contingency plans are in place in Lebanon to respond should the situation deteriorate further.”
Canadians in Lebanon who require assistance are urged to contact the Embassy of Canada in Lebanon or GAC’s Emergency Watch and Response Centre in Ottawa.
— with files from Global News’ Sean Boynton and The Associated Press