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.

The first of two special Qantas Boeing 787-9 Lebanon repatriation flights has left Sydney and is approaching Cyprus

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.

An evacuation flight carrying Australian citizens from Lebanon landed in Cyprus on Saturday (October 5). Over the past several days, foreign nationals have fled Lebanon, as Israel's bombing of Lebanon has continued.