The mass evacuation of Britons from conflict-ravaged Lebanon is under way, with the first 180 evacuees arriving in Cyprus, the BBC reported on Wednesday.

British Royal Navy destroyer HMS Gloucester, which carried the Britons from Beirut, mainly parents with children, arrived in the southern Cypriot port of Limassol on Wednesday.

Many are expected to stay in Cyprus until the violence between Israel and Lebanon dies down, but others will return to Britain.

HMS Gloucester and its sister ship HMS York will sail back and forth between Cyprus and Beirut. The aircraft carrier Illustrious, which is also preparing to bring British evacuees out of Lebanon, is capable of carrying more than 1,000 people.

Up to 12,000 Britons and 10,000 dual nationality citizens live in Lebanon. As many as 5,000 are expected to leave by the end of the week, with 800 set to be evacuated on Wednesday.

Thousands of foreigners are fleeing Lebanon, which is under intense Israeli bombardment.

Violence spiraled in the region as Israel continued bombing Lebanese targets for the seventh day in a massive assault on the country after the Lebanese Hezbollah abducted two Israeli soldiers and killed eight on July 12.

Source: Xinhua