A British woman trying to flee Lebanon with her children has told Sky News she feels “torn” as her husband has to stay behind – and claimed the UK has “no plan of action” to help its citizens in the Middle Eastern country.
Mahasen al-Dada, from Manchester, said she was told to book commercial flights home but discovered there are none available until the second week of October.
The 28-year-old is trying to follow the UK government’s advice for British nationals to leave Lebanon “immediately” amid a drastic escalation in Israel’s conflict with Hezbollah.
Ms al-Dada, who has two sons aged five and six, said she had spoken to the UK embassy in Lebanon on Wednesday and was told she would have to book flights herself as there were no repatriation ones set up.
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Ms al-Dada said she has tried to find a direct flight from Lebanon’s capital Beirut to Manchester through a travel agent, but there is nothing until 8 October, and prices have soared.
“I’ve been trying all day to find tickets and there’s no commercial flights,” she said.
“Everything has gone. Middle East (Airlines) is still flying, but the earliest flight is 8 October, and the tickets have gone up to £2,000. It’s crazy.”
Ms al-Dada said “things are escalating within hours, even minutes”, adding she would be “stuck” in the country if the airport were to get bombed.
Sir Keir Starmer has told Britons in Lebanon to “leave immediately”, as around 700 UK troops are deployed to Cyprus in case an emergency evacuation is needed.
The prime minister said “we are ramping up the contingency plans… in light of the escalation”, with fears growing of all-out war between Israel and Hezbollah.
Lebanon says Israeli strikes which have intensified this week have killed more than 700 people and injured 5,000 others, including women, children and a “large number” of care workers.
‘Bombs getting closer and closer’
Ms al-Dada moved to Lebanon in July so she could be reunited with her Lebanese husband Jad Eltahra, the father of her two children.
She said she had been intent on staying in the “beautiful” country as her spouse’s visa has been repeatedly rejected.
But she said the atmosphere over the past few days has been “surreal” as bombs could be heard “day and night” and appeared to be getting “closer and closer” to her home in Mount Lebanon.
Ms al-Dada said she spent all of last night awake, on the brink of a panic attack while fearing her home may be targeted.
A building hit in an Israeli airstrike in Lebanon. Pic: AP
“I was up until the morning and I moved my children from their bedroom and I put them in my bed… I thought just in case something happens, at least they’re in the same room as me,” she said.
“It was really scary, it was something I’ve never been through before until now. It’s really surreal, it feels like I’m awake but I’m dreaming.”
She said she felt “torn” and “selfish” for leaving her partner in a country on the brink of war but their sons – Sultan aged six and five-year-old Saif – must be the priority.
“My children are still young and I can’t be selfish and leave them in this situation because they don’t deserve to hear things or see things that could potentially destroy them,” she said.
Mahasen al-Dada’s sons face having to leave Lebanon without their father
Ms al-Dada has been calling the UK Foreign Office’s travel advice line, but the experience has not left her feeling reassured.
She said: “I am basically stuck, and I was hoping that they would be a bit more help, like asking (me) for my address so I feel, like the movies, they’d come and pick you up.
“But it’s not that way at all. They just say there’s nothing that they can do.”
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Gridlock as thousands flee south
The psychology and criminology graduate said she has been talking to the British embassy over the past month to find a way to get her husband to return to the UK with her, amid ever-increasing fears of an all-out war in the region.
Ms al-Dada said authorities keep telling her she should leave Lebanon and all her spouse can do is apply for a visa – but he has been putting in unsuccessful applications for years.
The last application was sent in November 2023 when he applied for a visitor visa to stay 10 days.
The refusal letter seen by Sky News states Mr Eltahra hadn’t demonstrated he received an income or that he would not overstay his leave to remain in the UK.
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Brits leaving Lebanon during conflict
Ms al-Dada insists the couple have never had any desire to relocate permanently to the UK.
She said all the rejections, along with recent calls held with the British embassy, have made her lose hope her husband will ever be let into the UK, even when he faces war at home.
“Every time they’ve basically made it clear that they don’t really care about my husband’s safety, they just disregard it,” she said.
“They don’t care, they only care about British citizens leaving Lebanon, that’s it.”
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Ms al-Dada said she wishes the UK government showed “more leniency” towards the spouses of British nationals in a situation like hers.
“It’s not easy to just leave family behind,” she said, while for her children it will mean being away from their father.
Ms al-Dada added: “They are asking me to leave my husband in a country where there is war, asking me to save myself and my kids and leave my husband behind.
“They disregard him like he’s not human just because he doesn’t have a passport.”
The Foreign Office did not respond directly to Ms al-Dada’s situation when approached by Sky News.
However it sent a statement from Foreign Office minister Anneliese Dodds saying: “The situation in Lebanon is deeply concerning. While we continue to urge British nationals to leave and have launched our ‘register your presence’ portal to aid their departure, the UK will always be a strong supporter of the Lebanese people.
“That is why we are providing £5m to UNICEF to support civilians who have been displaced and are facing a humanitarian emergency.
“We need to see an immediate ceasefire from both sides to prevent further civilian casualties and ensure that displaced people can return to their homes.”
The Home Office has also been contacted for comment.