The U.S. government is urging Americans in Lebanon to leave the country as tensions between Israel and Hezbollah continue to escalate. The State Department issued an advisory on Monday, Sept. 23, warning U.S. citizens to depart while commercial flights are still available.
Although flights are still operating, they are at reduced capacity, and that can change quickly. U.S. officials are in discussions with Israel to ensure the safety of Americans if an evacuation is ordered.
Thousands of U.S. citizens currently live and work in the country, and a full-scale evacuation would be the first since the 2006 Lebanon War.
The State Department is also reminding Americans to immediately avoid southern Lebanon, areas near the Syrian border and refugee settlements. The U.S. had already raised its travel advisory for Lebanon to the highest “do not travel” level earlier this year.
With violence escalating, the situation remains tense, and the Pentagon said it is closely monitoring developments to ensure the safety of U.S. citizens in the region.
