On Saturday, September 28th, the US State Department updated its travel warning for Lebanon, authorizing some State Department employees and their families to depart Beirut due to the “unstable and unpredictable security situation.”
The State Department further urged American citizens to leave Lebanon on commercial flights if possible and advised Americans in southern Lebanon, near the Syrian border, or refugee camps to relocate to other areas.
Israel carried out airstrikes on Friday, September 27th, targeting the Hezbollah headquarters in Beirut, Lebanon, and reportedly killing Hassan Nasrallah, the leader of this Iranian-backed armed group. Iran also claimed that a senior Iranian commander was killed in the Israeli airstrikes.
Amid escalating threats of a broader conflict in the Middle East, the US State Department issued orders on Saturday for certain employees and their families to leave Lebanon.
While the evacuation order is directed at non-emergency personnel and not the entire embassy, it reflects the increasingly unstable situation in Lebanon and its capital, Beirut, as reported by CNN.
“The State Department ordered non-emergency family members (EFM) to depart on September 28th and authorized mission-employed EFMs and non-essential USDH (US Direct Hire) employees to leave Beirut due to the unstable and unpredictable security situation,” the State Department stated in its updated travel advisory.
The State Department highlighted that commercial flights are still available but noted a decrease in capacity, and warned that these options may become inaccessible if the security situation deteriorates further.
Earlier on Saturday, the State Department initiated a form for US citizens interested in assistance to leave Lebanon to fill out.
While there has been no announcement of an evacuation or US government assistance for departure, this development is noteworthy and indicates a possible impending situation.
In the past, the State Department has used similar forms, such as in Israel following the eruption of violence when Palestinian militant group Hamas attacked Israel in October of last year, leading to the Gaza War. Hezbollah in Lebanon began launching rockets towards Israel in support of their ally Hamas the next day.
The form specifies that the US can only assist US citizens with valid travel documents and their immediate family members (including spouses, children under 21, and parents) in traveling from Turkey or Cyprus to elsewhere.
“Given the unpredictability of ongoing conflicts between Hezbollah and Israel, as well as recent incidents including the explosion in Beirut, we continue to advise American citizens to leave Lebanon,” the State Department emphasized.
“Travel risks in Lebanon are the sole responsibility of individuals. The US government cannot guarantee your safety traveling to airports, borders, or any subsequent travel,” the State Department stated, advising individuals to only attempt to leave Lebanon or travel within Lebanon if they deem it safe.
The State Department also mentioned that the US Embassy may not be able to assist American citizens choosing to remain in the country.
On Saturday, a few hours after Hezbollah confirmed Nasrallah’s death in the airstrikes, Israel announced the killing of Hassan Khalil Yassin, a senior leader of Hezbollah’s intelligence network, in a new round of airstrikes on Beirut.