Türkiye has evacuated more than 960 people from Lebanon, Turkish officials said.
Turkish ships evacuated a total of 966 people from Lebanon, including 878 Turkish nationals, 24 citizens of the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC), and 64 of their immediate relatives, sources from Türkiye's foreign ministry said.
Nearly 1,900 Turkish citizens in Lebanon have requested their evacuation, said the sources.
They noted that 2,500 people had initially applied to the Foreign Ministry for evacuation.
Nearly 1,000 people reached the gathering points, with some deciding not to board the ships at the last moment, they added.
The evacuation efforts come as Lebanon faces massive Israeli air strikes against what Tel Aviv claims are Hezbollah targets since September 23. The strikes have killed at least 1,323 people, injuring over 3,700 others, and displacing more than 1.2 million people.
'Türkiye ready for further Lebanon evacuations'
Turkish ships and aircraft are prepared for additional evacuations from Lebanon if needed, a spokesperson of Türkiye's National Defence Ministry said on Thursday.
"Our planning is based on demand," an official told a weekly press briefing, referring to evacuation operations. "If needed, our plans for new evacuations continue in coordination with other ministries and public institutions."
