The State Department ordered the departure of family members and nonemergency U.S. government personnel from Lebanon due to “the volatile and unpredictable security situation in the region.”
“Due to ongoing regional events, we remind U.S. citizens to continue to exercise caution and encourage them to monitor the news for breaking developments,” the U.S. Embassy in Beirut said.
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The embassy noted that several airlines have suspended or canceled flights to and from Beirut but noted that Lebanese airspace and Beirut-Rafic Hariri International Airport are currently open and that “commercial transportation options to leave Lebanon remain available but limited.”
The notice did not mention any planned evacuation flights or direct assistance for private American citizens in Lebanon. The United States conducted several evacuations of U.S. citizens from Israel and is offering exit guidance to Americans in Iran.
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The notice from the embassy comes one day after President Donald Trump ordered strikes against three Iranian nuclear facilities, sparking fears of the U.S. entering another wide war in the region.
The State Department last year ordered the departure of family members and nonemergency staff during Israel’s war in Lebanon against the Iran-backed militant group Hezbollah. That order was later lifted.