Lebanese army says gunmen attack American Embassy in Beirut

An armed attack took place near the American Embassy in Beirut on Wednesday; the Lebanese army sent troops to the area and took security measures.

In a statement, the Lebanese military reported soldiers shot an assailant, whom they identified as a Syrian national. The gunman was wounded and taken to a hospital.

Local media reported a gunfight ensued near the U.S. diplomatic mission in the suburb of Aukar, north of Beirut, lasting nearly half an hour.

The U.S. Embassy stated that the morning attack at the embassy’s entrance did not result in any casualties among their staff and that Lebanese troops and embassy security responded swiftly.

The Lebanese military confirmed it deployed troops around the embassy and surrounding areas.

In 1983, a deadly bombing at the U.S. Embassy in Beirut killed 63 people. U.S. officials blamed the attack on the Lebanese militant group Hezbollah.

Following that attack, the embassy was relocated from central Beirut to the Christian suburb of Aukar, north of the capital. Another bomb attack targeted the new location on September 20, 1984.

In September 2023, Lebanese security forces detained a Lebanese man who fired shots near the U.S. Embassy. There were no casualties in that incident.