re: aussies cant get out
Australians have no immediate way out of Beirut after a ferry due to transport them from the Lebanese capital was commandeered by the United Nations. The ship, chartered by the Australian government from Turkey, was supposed to be leaving a Beirut port with hundreds of Australian evacuees a short time ago.
More than 400 Australians are devastated after being forced to stay longer as bombs rain down from the conflict between Israel and Lebanon.
There is hope that a boat chartered by France - which is due in about four hours - may have some extra space to get some Australians out.
For so many in Lebanon, it was a moment meant to end days of anxiety and complaint about the Australian government's response to the crisis.
Insiders told 7News the UN had commandeered it the ferry, forcing hopeful Australians to wait for another time to leave.
Two huge explosions just went off just a couple of kilometres from the port, sparking Australian Embassy officials to get them out even faster.
In the towns of Tyre and Aitaroun, missile strikes on buildings wiped out two families and a truck was destroyed near the Syrian border.
