Canada readying troops in case of Lebanon evacuations: sources

The federal government has for months urged Canadians to get out of Lebanon immediately via commercial flights as the conflict between Israel and Hezbollah worsens.

The Canadian Armed Forces is changing its posture and increasing troops in the Middle East to give the government more flexibility — including the ability to move quickly if an evacuation is ordered for citizens in Lebanon, Global News has learned.

Canada’s plan has been ready for months and some assets have been prepositioned. But on Wednesday night, troops received a warning order to be ready to leave Canada in 48 hours.

The timing has less to do with the situation on the ground and more to prepare for what will be a highly complex operation if it goes ahead, sources said.

Canada and Australia have jointly rented a cruise ship for evacuated Canadians, Global News has also learned.

Nearly 700 people have been killed in Lebanon this week — including two Canadians — as Israel dramatically escalated strikes, saying it is targeting Hezbollah’s military capacities. The U.S., Canada and other allies have called on both sides to accept a 21-day ceasefire, a proposal Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu appeared to reject Thursday.

The federal government has for months urged Canadians to get out of Lebanon via commercial flights as the situation deteriorates. Foreign Affairs Minister Melanie Joly told reporters Wednesday that commercial flights remain the safest option to leave Lebanon and that evacuations were not being ordered for the time being.

Sources said the warnings to leave now are based on concerns about how chaotic an evacuation could become if the situation worsens. Sending troops to the region now will give them the ability to move quickly if an evacuation is ordered, the sources said.

Joly said Friday that around 45,000 Canadian citizens are currently in Lebanon. Global Affairs Canada said Wednesday that 20,773 Canadians in Lebanon are registered with the agency.