A small group of Canada's military is on the ground in Lebanon to help Canadian citizens escape the most dangerous parts of southern Lebanon, CTV News has learned.

The well-armed soldiers, who arrived several days ago, are authorized to be "quick to defend" Canadians, CTV's Robert Fife reported Monday.

The unit helped some Canadian evacuees make their way onto a German-chartered ship at the port of Tyre in southern Lebanon, which then took them to Cyprus.

The Canadian Press reported the 13 evacuees were outnumbered by the soldiers.

CP also said the rescue mission involved United Nations troops and other countries. Leaflets were dropped  by an Israeli plane, and guerrillas responded with small arms fire.

There was a little bit of excitement down there," Lt.-Col. Shane Brennan, the Canadian team leader, told CP.

"A plane came by and dropped leaflets right on the vicinity of them and there was some small arms fire after that. But everything remained calm and they carried on with the evacuation."

Despite the drama in Tyre, things appeared almost sleepy in Beirut. About 1,180 citizens left by ship Monday, less than half the number who departed Sunday.

Canada's evacuation of its citizens from there appears to be winding down as Foreign Affairs officials are changing the way it handles citizens who want to flee the fighting in Lebanon.

Canadian officials are now asking anyone who wants to leave Beirut to go to the embassy by 9:00 a.m. (local time) on Tuesday, Fife said.

In the early days of the evacuations, when thousands were clamouring to get out, Canadian officials asked citizens to wait until they were called by Foreign Affairs officials before showing up at the port.

"We find we are contacting people who have left.  Instead of expending a lot of time and effort to do that, we feel we should send out a message to those who might want to leave," a government official was quoted by Canadian Press.

Ship in Tyre on Wednesday

Ottawa is also sending a ship to Tyre, the most dangerous hotspot in south Lebanon, to rescue as many as 1,000 stranded Canadians.

Canadian officials are asking citizens who want to leave from Tyre on Wednesday to go directly to arrive at city's port with their travel documents by 9:00 a.m. (local time).  As in Beirut, they do not need to await a call from the embassy.

Canadian Ambassador Louis de Lorimier described the rescue mission as "extremely dangerous," and would not say what arrangements were made with Israeli or Hezbollah forces to ensure the safe passage of Canadians.

United Nations forces in the region are expected to help organize and provide security for the evacuation.

An estimated 40,000 Canadians live in Lebanon.  So far, about 7,500 have left the country on government-chartered ships.

"We will be evacuating people all week," Canadian Ambassador Louis de Lorimier said.

"Demand is less.  No doubt some people have left on their own.  Some people have probably decided on their own to stay."

CTV's Janis Mackey Frayer, reporting from Beirut, said the hard part for those wishing to leave will be getting to the ports at Beirut and Tyre.

"Venturing out on any road is a risk. It's why it's simply not an option for the Canadian government to go door-to-door to collect these people," she said.

"And it's why we often see 10, 12, 15 people packed into a car at the same time," she said.

People don't want to drive in trucks or minivans, because Hezbollah uses those types of vehicles to transport weapons. Israel has made it known those vehicles will be targeted, Mackey Frayer said.

Navy ships on standby

Also on Monday, the military put a third Canadian naval ship on standby for a possible humanitarian mission to Lebanon.  Two ships were put on standby last week, although there is no word on whether they will actually leave.

Since Israel began its offensive into southern Lebanon on July 12, UN and relief agencies have feared a humanitarian disaster might result.

The fighting has displaced more than 700,000 Lebanese. Supplies of medicine and water are reportedly growing short.

With files from CTV's Janis Mackey Frayer, Robert Fife and from The Canadian Press