U.S. citizens were advised to leave Lebanon due to the ongoing Israel-Hamas war and escalating tensions in the region. The U.S. State Department issued a travel advisory urging American citizens to depart Lebanon immediately. Commercial flights were still available at the time of the advisory. Lebanon is currently under a Level 4 State Department advisory, indicating that Americans should not travel to the country. The warning came shortly after Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah made threats against the United States and Israel in a public speech.
The State Department recommended that Americans in Lebanon should have a crisis plan that does not rely on U.S. government assistance. They also warned that military-assisted evacuations from a foreign country are rare and there is no guarantee that the U.S. government will evacuate private U.S. citizens in a crisis situation. The State Department did not specify any specific threats facing Americans in Lebanon.
Other countries in the region, including Iraq, Syria, Yemen, Iran, and Israel’s West Bank and Gaza regions, are also under a Level 4 advisory.
In a separate development, the State Department issued a worldwide caution alert for Americans, reaffirming the potential for terrorist attacks, demonstrations, or violent actions against U.S. citizens and interests. This caution was likely renewed due to increased tensions in various locations worldwide.
Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah claimed that the organization had already entered the battle with Israel on October 8. He argued that Hezbollah’s attacks on Israeli positions have diverted Israeli forces from focusing on Hamas in Gaza. Exchange of gunfire has increased along the Lebanon-Israel border since the October 7 attack by Hamas.
Hezbollah is prepared for all options and has the capability to resort to them at any time. Mr. Nasrallah praised Hamas’ attack on southern Israel, claiming it showed Israel’s weakness. He stated that Israel had not achieved any significant accomplishments one month into the war.
Secretary of State Antony Blinken met with Palestinian Authority chief Mahmoud Abbas in the West Bank to discuss efforts to restore calm and stability in the region. The U.S. reaffirmed its commitment to providing humanitarian assistance and resuming essential services in Gaza while emphasizing the importance of preventing the forced displacement of Palestinians.