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HomeLocalState Department Advises U.S. Citizens in Lebanon to Leave Immediately

State Department Advises U.S. Citizens in Lebanon to Leave Immediately

 

 

State Department advises Americans to leave Lebanon immediately in new notice


On Tuesday, the U.S. State Department released a travel warning recommending that American citizens exit Lebanon without delay due to rising tensions between Israel and Hezbollah, urging them to do so while flights are still operational.

 

“U.S. citizens in Lebanon should strongly consider departing immediately,” the advisory states. “The U.S. Embassy may be unable to provide assistance to those who decide to stay.”

Several airlines have increased their flight availability from Beirut-Rafic Hariri International Airport, and the U.S. government has been providing additional seats through chartered flights since September 28 in an effort to assist the approximately 86,000 Americans living in Lebanon. “Much of this additional capacity remains unused,” the advisory notes. “U.S. government-organized flights will not last indefinitely.”

Recently, over 1,000 Americans and their families successfully evacuated Lebanon to Turkey using U.S. chartered flights.

 

The State Department assigned Lebanon a Level 4 travel warning due to the unpredictable and dangerous security conditions in Beirut. Since October of last year, the conflict between the Iranian-backed militant group Hezbollah, Hamas, and Israel has escalated, becoming one of the deadliest episodes in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict’s history. Approximately 41,788 individuals have died in Gaza and around 2,000 in Lebanon as a result of this conflict.

 

The advisory emphasized that the U.S. government cannot ensure anyone’s safety while they travel within Lebanon, including to airports or border points, and advised them to “only attempt to exit Lebanon or travel within the country if you feel it is safe.” Americans in Lebanon can complete a crisis intake form to receive more information about evacuation help.

 

Americans choosing to remain in Lebanon should develop alternative plans and not count on government assistance in case of further developments.

On Tuesday, Delta Air Lines announced it will suspend flights to Tel Aviv due to the ongoing conflict, joining other carriers including Qatar Airways. Numerous cruise lines, such as Virgin Voyages and Carnival Corp., have also changed their routes to steer clear of the Red Sea earlier this year while others have evacuated the area.