The Minister of Defense, Margaret Robleshas announced that it will send two planes to Lebanon to evacuate the Spaniards trapped there after the outbreak of the crisis in the Middle East. Robles has clarified that this operation will depend on the situation of the crisis in the region: “Everyone knows that we have to look at the situation of the air spaces.”
«Two planes are scheduled to leave tomorrow Air and Space Army “Spanish heading to Beirut to carry out this evacuation,” said the Defense Minister. The minister has expressed that there are “more than 300 people who want to return to Spain” who “have expressed their willingness to come to Spain.”
“Everything is prepared, the forecast is that if it is possible tomorrow and there is availability of airspace, two planes from the Spanish Air Force will leave,” Robles explained. The socialist policy has stressed that they are “working with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs” and with other competent authorities in this matter.
The head of the Defense portfolio has highlighted that “never has Spain or the Spanish Government left any Spanish citizen behind.” “We have done it in Afghanistan, in Niger, in Sudan,” the minister recalled. In any case, he has asked for moderation on this issue: “We are always very cautious with the issue of evacuations.”
Regarding the soldiers who are in Lebanon, Robles has pointed out that “the evacuation scenario is planned in the abstract.” However, he clarified that “in theory they continue to do this work that does not go abroad, but it is a support work.”
Regarding the work carried out by the military in the region, socialist politics has raised its chest “in the face of those who say that since they are in the bunkers they do nothing.” “They are in the bunkers for security reasons, but they continue to do very important mediation work,” said Robles. The tasks of the contingent are to provide “support to the Lebanese army”, which “should be the real protagonist” in the eyes of the minister.
“Spain has been in Lebanon since the 2006 war ended,” he pointed out, while ratifying Spain’s “absolute commitment” to the blue helmets and to Lebanon. “We understand that any decision in this matter is a decision that will have to be made by the United Nations,” he said.
Crisis in the Middle East
All of this in the midst of the crisis in the Middle East that has been dragging on since Hamas massacred thousands of Jews in the attacks of October 7, 2023. Among the defense measures of the Israeli army has been beheading the terrorist groups that operate in the area , among them, the leader of Hamas in Lebanon, Fateh Sharif. And subsequently, the army of the Jewish State invaded southern Lebanon.
These military actions by Israel caused Iran, the terrorist group’s main support in the region, to launch an unprecedented missile attack on the country led by Benjamin Netanyahu. Hebrew authorities have reported that around 200 missiles were fired from the Persian state.
Minister Robles has done in an interview in Antenna 3 “a call for a containment effort for all those involved” and “for de-escalation.” The Defense Minister has condemned “unmitigatedly” Iran’s attack on Israel. “We ask for a ceasefire in Gaza and Lebanon,” said the socialist politician, while rebuking the Israeli authorities that “it cannot be that a free country like Lebanon is being invaded.” “We all have great concern but we all have to reduce the rhetoric,” he stressed.
