(JUST THE NEWS) — The State Department is ordering the families of embassy personnel in Beirut to depart and advising American citizens to flee Lebanon as the Israel-Hezbollah conflict escalated with a series of devastating missile strikes this weekend.
“Due to the increased volatility following airstrikes within Beirut and the volatile and unpredictable security situation throughout Lebanon, the U.S. Embassy urges U.S. citizens to depart Lebanon when commercial options still remain available,” the department announced Saturday evening in a travel advisory.
Echoes of Benghazi. Angry mob storming the US Embassy in Baghdad. Hope everyone in the embassy is safe and sound pic.twitter.com/5RbMnJU2ms
— Brigitte Khair-Mountain | بريجيت خير ماونتين (@Brigitte_khair) September 28, 2024
The announcement came as images and video emerged on social media of violence outside the US Embassy in Baghdad, Iraq, where protesters waged their dissatisfaction with the Israeli missile strike that killed the leader of Hezbollah on Friday.