Western states weigh up Lebanon evacuation options as ceasefire talks stall, Cyprus seen as best route

Western nations were weighing their options on how to safely get nationals out of Lebanon if a full-scale war breaks out, diplomats said, with Cyprus and possibly Turkey seen as offering sanctuary to tens of thousands of people.

Cyprus is the closest European Union member state, some 264 km (164 miles) from Lebanon. It has been at the forefront of maritime aid efforts for Gaza and in the past was used to coordinate evacuations from Lebanon.

Cyprus processed around 60,000 people fleeing the Hezbollah-Israel war in 2006...