Three gunmen opened fire multiple times on the US Embassy in Beirut leaving a guard injured - as Lebanese Armed Forces quickly hit back at the shooter.
The attack took place as tensions continued to simmer in the tiny Mediterranean country, where months of fighting between Hezbollah militants and Israeli troops has displaced thousands along the border, following years of political deadlock and economic hardship.
Shocking footage posted on social media shows residents running inside for cover after multiple shots were fired at a guard at the US Embassy.
The Lebanese Armed Forces returned fire and shot the attacker who was injured in the abdomen and foot, according to local media reports. The gunman was taken alive and arrested at the scene. The shooters motives were not clear. However, Lebanese media have published photos that appear to show a bloodied attacker wearing a black vest with the words “Islamic State” written in Arabic and the English initials “I” and “S.”
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A man was shot after he fired at the US Embassy in BeirutA Lebanese security official told The Associated Press that there were four assailants, including one who drove the gunmen to the site and three who opened fire. One shooter was killed, one escaped, and the third was wounded and detained by the Lebanese military.
The army set up a security cordon in the vicinity of the US Embassy and searched the area for another suspect in the shooting operation. According to a statement by the Lebanese Army, "the US Embassy in the Awkar area was exposed to gunfire by a person of Syrian nationality. Army members deployed in the area responded to the sources of fire, wounding the shooter."
The US Embassy in Beirut confirmed the shooting in a statement, which said: "At 8:34 a.m. local time, small arms fire was reported in the vicinity of the entrance to the U.S. Embassy. Thanks to the quick reaction of the LAF, ISF, and our Embassy security team, our facility and our team are safe. Investigations are underway and we are in close contact with host country law enforcement."
The army confirmed that the shooter was arrested and taken to a hospital for treatment, and an investigation is underway to determine the circumstances of the shooting.
Residents were seen sheltering (QudsNen/Twitter)
A guard was injured following the shooting (QudsNen/Twitter)The US Embassy said the morning attack by the embassy’s entrance did not cause any casualties among their staff, and that Lebanese troops and embassy security mobilised quickly.
The Lebanese military said it deployed troops around the embassy and surrounding areas. Roads leading to the Embassy from Dbayeh and Awkar were closed following the incident, according to reports.
In 1983, a deadly bombing attack on the U.S. Embassy in Beirut killed 63 people.. U.S. officials blame the attack on the Lebanese militant group Hezbollah.
The US Embassy in BeirutFollowing that attack, the embassy was moved from central Beirut to the Christian suburb of Aukar, north of the capital. Another bomb attack struck the new location on September 20, 1984.
In September 2023, Lebanese security forces detained a Lebanese man who opened fire by the U.S. Embassy. There were no casualties in that attack.
In October 2023, hundreds of protesters clashed with Lebanese security forces in demonstrations near the U.S. Embassy in support of Gaza’s people and the militant group Hamas in its war with Israel.
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