Britain is preparing to airlift citizens out of Lebanon amid heightening tensions between Israel and Hezbollah, The Telegraph can disclose.

A defence source said on Friday the Government “stands prepared” to evacuate stranded Britons to safety in an operation being planned by the Foreign Office.

David Lammy, the Foreign Secretary, discussed the preparations in an emergency Cobra meeting, The Telegraph understands.

On Friday, the Israel Defense Forces killed Ibrahim Aqil, a top Hezbollah commander, in an air strike on a southern suburb in Beirut.

Lebanon’s health ministry said at least eight people were killed and dozens injured in the strike.

An Israeli official told the Axios news website that Israel had concluded diplomacy would not work to push Hezbollah back from its border and was gradually “taking the gloves off” in pursuit of a military solution.

Mr Lammy met with ministerial colleagues after Israel remotely detonated pagers and walkie talkies used by Hezbollah in an audacious twin-attack earlier this week.

The British military was put on standby to launch an emergency evacuation, with two ships also in the region to help the efforts.

Officials are also planning to rent aircraft that could be used under the current plans being discussed in London.

British nationals were told to consider escaping Lebanon while commercial airline services are still running.

A Foreign Office spokesman said: “The Foreign Secretary has chaired a meeting of Cobra this morning on the latest situation in Lebanon and to discuss ongoing preparedness work, with the risk of escalation remaining high.

“The safety of British nationals is our number one priority which is why we’re continuing to advise people to leave Lebanon now while commercial routes remain available.”

The US, Germany, France, Australia, Canada, Jordan, Italy and Turkey have also warned their nationals to escape the country as soon as possible.

A number of international airlines, including Lufthansa, Air France and Delta, have suspended flights to Beirut because of security concerns.