The US instructed non-emergency personnel to depart its embassy in Beirut on Monday, scaling back its diplomatic presence as tension rises between Washington and Tehran.
“The embassy remains operational with core staff in place,” a senior State Department official said. “We continuously assess the security environment and based on our latest review we determined it prudent to reduce our footprint to essential personnel."
The move comes amid concern that Lebanon could again become a flashpoint in a wider regional conflict.
In a post on social media, the State Department warned American citizens not to travel to Lebanon, citing “crime, terrorism, civil unrest, kidnapping, unexploded landmines, and the risk of armed conflict".
“Terrorist groups continue plotting possible attacks in Lebanon,” the department said, noting that incidents could occur with little or no warning and may target tourist sites, transport hubs, markets, shopping malls and government facilities.
It comes after weeks of US warnings about potential strikes on Iran. President Donald Trump has repeatedly raised the possibility of military action, first during Iran’s crackdown on nationwide protests and more recently as Washington and Tehran returned to negotiations over Iran’s nuclear programme.
Mr Trump said last week that “really bad things will happen” if diplomacy fails.
Iran and the US are expected to hold a third round of nuclear talks on Thursday in Geneva, Oman’s Foreign Minister Badr Al Busaidi said on Sunday.
Iranian officials have warned they would target US military bases in the region if Tehran is attacked.
Lebanon is seen as a potential secondary front in any confrontation with Tehran, given the presence of Hezbollah, the Iran-aligned armed group and Lebanese political party.
Hezbollah signalled continued confrontation at the weekend, vowing “resistance” after an Israeli strike killed several of its fighters, highlighting the risk of localised clashes spiralling into a wider conflict.
The US decision to reduce embassy staff also reflects long-standing security concerns.
During Lebanon’s 1975–1990 civil war, militants linked to Iran were blamed for large-scale attacks on American targets, including the 1983 suicide bombing of the US embassy in Beirut that killed 63 people and the bombing of the US Marine barracks in which 241 service members lost their lives.
