In light of the unpredictable security landscape, the US State Department is invoking caution, advising American citizens to refrain from traveling to Lebanon. Further, an allowance has been furnished for the voluntary departure of family members of US government personnel and certain non-emergency personnel from the besieged nation.
Elevating the travel advisory for Lebanon to Level 4: Do Not Travel on Tuesday, the Department cites volatilities stemming from escalating rocket, missile, and artillery confrontations between Israel and Hizballah, among other military factions, as the primary cause for this caution.
As mentioned in the updated advisory, “On October 17, 2023, the Department authorized the voluntary, temporary departure of family members of U.S. government personnel and some non-emergency personnel from U.S. Embassy Beirut owing to the unpredictable security situation in Lebanon.”
Sizable demonstrations have reportedly broken out subsequent to recent violent incidents in Israel and Gaza. In response to the traumatizing instance of a massive blast ripping through a Gaza hospital on Tuesday, believed to have claimed countless lives, protests have erupted throughout regions such as the West Bank, Jordan, Iraq, Iran, and Tunisia. In Lebanon, hundreds of agitated protestors gathered around the square leading to the US embassy north of Beirut, some attempting to breach security barricades.
The advisory counseled, “U.S. citizens should avoid demonstrations and exercise caution if in the vicinity of any large gatherings or protests which have the potential to turn violent.” The advisory pointed out that protestors have blocked major roads, restricting connections between downtown Beirut and locales such as the U.S. Embassy, and Beirut Rafic Hariri International Airport.
Warning that consular officers from the U.S. Embassy may not always be able to extend assistance to stranded U.S. citizens traveling to Lebanon, the advisory urged travelers to bear this in mind. ‘”The Department of State considers the threat to U.S. government personnel in Beirut sufficiently serious to require them to live and work under strict security. The internal security policies of the U.S. Embassy may be adjusted at any time and without advance notice,” the advisory continued.
The previous week saw the travel advisory for Israel escalate to Level 3: Reconsider Travel, while the advisory for Gaza retains its extreme caution status at Level 4: Do Not Travel.
