Strangers with friendly faces embraced.A total of 456 Australian citizens, permanent residents and family members fleeing war-torn Beirut landed safely in Cyprus on Saturday after two hastily convened rescue flights amid Israel’s barrage of airstrikes on terror group Hezbollah and a ground operation in southern Lebanon.

Australia started evacuating its nationals from Lebanon via Cyprus on Saturday, in the first large-scale operation to get citizens out of the country amid an Israeli onslaught on Iran-backed Hezbollah.

Burns told Sky News that “there are not mechanisms by which the federal government could intervene here”. Burns said: What happens on our streets is a matter for the states, a

Australian citizens land in Cyprus after being evacuated from Lebanon:::: Larnaca, Cyprus"I feel I feel very sad leaving my country, but I'm very happy to start a new life in Sydney."(Journalist asking "Were you in any danger")"Definitely.

The deputy prime minister has urged Australians to come home from Lebanon as soon as possible, with two more flights set to evacuate citizens to Cyprus.

A second repatriation flight carrying Australian nationals from Lebanon has arrived in Cyprus. It is part of a major operation by the Australian government to get its citizens out of the country as the conflict between Israel and Hezbollah intensifies.

The evacuation is the first large-scale operation to get citizens out of the country amid the Israeli onslaught on Hezbollah.

The first charter flight for Australians leaving Lebanon has just touched down in Cyprus en-route to Australia.