Asia-Pacific nations are rushing to evacuate thousands of their citizens and other residents amid the rapidly escalating tensions in the Middle East.

Officials from countries like the Philippines, Indonesia and Australia said on October 2 that they are working to secure chartered flights to bring their people home while Beirut airport remains open.

South Korea, meanwhile, has deployed a military plane to hasten the repatriation of its citizens.

The evacuation plans are underway as clashes intensify between Israel and Iran, as well as the Tehran-backed militias Hezbollah and Hamas. On October 3, at least six people were killed after Israel bombed central Beirut.

The Philippine government is chartering flights for more than 1,200 out of 11,000 Filipinos who sought to be repatriated from Lebanon.

But the repatriation process has been delayed due to the late issuance of exit clearances and flight cancellations as a result of explosions in Lebanon, said Department of Migrant Workers Undersecretary Bernard Olalia.

Airlines across the globe scrambled to divert or cancel flights following Iran’s missile attack against Israel on October 1. Flights to Israel and Lebanon have been cancelled, with some carriers saying they will not resume operations until at least mid-October.

Mr Olalia said the government is exploring other evacuation options, such as exiting Lebanon via land and sea, due to the possibility of a shutdown of Beirut airport.

“We have plotted an alternative, which is a land route to Damascus. Our personnel in the Middle East are on standby to provide augmentation help to the Migrant Workers’ Office in Lebanon on how our migrant workers can be taken to safer grounds,” he said.

The Philippine government has so far evacuated about 430 migrant workers and 28 of their dependants from Lebanon since October 2023.

Repatriates are set to receive cash assistance from the government, while a contingency plan has already been established to ensure the safety of Filipinos who remain in Lebanon, though Mr Olalia did not elaborate on it for now.

In the meantime, Singapore’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) has advised its citizens in Lebanon to leave the country immediately via commercial options.

“In view of the volatile situation in the region, Singaporeans are advised to defer all travel to Lebanon,” it said in an updated travel advisory on September 28.

“Singaporeans who choose to remain in Lebanon should remain vigilant, monitor local developments closely and heed the advice of the Lebanese government,” said MFA, adding that Singaporeans should also avoid protests and large gatherings.

Indonesia has also begun evacuating its citizens from Lebanon, with its embassy in Beirut so far facilitating the return of at least 25 Indonesians since August.

Mr Rolliansyah Soemirat, a spokesman for Indonesia’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, said on October 2 that several of the archipelago’s embassies in the Middle East are working together to ensure that Indonesians can be safely evacuated.

“Indonesian embassies are also keeping up communications with every Indonesian in their respective areas,” he said.

The Indonesian media quoted the ministry’s director of protection of Indonesian citizens and legal entities, Mr Judha Nugraha, as saying on October 1 that there are 159 citizens in Lebanon and that some of them have opted to remain in the country.

There are also around 1,000 military personnel from Indonesia stationed in Lebanon as part of the UN Interim Force in Lebanon. The commander of Indonesia’s military, General Agus Subiyanto, said on October 2 that the soldiers there are doing well.

On October 2, Indonesian President Joko Widodo said the safety of Indonesians in Lebanon must be prioritised, and their evacuation must be carried out immediately.

South Korean President Yoon Suk-yeol said the government has already dispatched a military aircraft to evacuate its citizens from the Middle East.

In a statement, he stressed the need for close cooperation with the international community to “swiftly restore stability” in the region.

This is not the first time South Korea has deployed a military plane to evacuate citizens from a conflict zone.

It used a military plane to evacuate its citizens from Israel in October 2023, and did the same for its citizens in Sudan six months later.

Australian Foreign Minister Penny Wong told reporters that 1,700 citizens and their families have expressed their desire to be repatriated from Lebanon.

Canberra has already secured 580 seats on flights departing on October 3 and October 5 for them.

Ms Wong reiterated the government’s call for about 15,000 Australian citizens and permanent residents living in Lebanon to leave the country.

“Please take whatever option is available to you. Now is not the time for you to wait and see; now is the time to leave,” she said.

Meanwhile, Thai Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra has instructed the embassy in Tel Aviv to issue an advisory warning to Thais living in risky areas in Israel to evacuate if necessary.

There were about 30,000 Thais working in Israel before the Hamas attack on October 7, 2023. About 9,000 were then repatriated in the ensuing conflict, but the rest of them opted to remain there.

Governments across the globe have urged their citizens to leave Lebanon before it is too late.

“Go while you still can,” Mr Frank Mollen, Dutch Ambassador to Lebanon, said on October 1.