Lebanese Military Thwarts Assault on U.S. Embassy in Beirut

In a bold and swift action, Lebanese soldiers successfully thwarted an attack on the U.S. Embassy in Beirut on Wednesday morning. The assailant, identified as a Syrian national and apparent Islamic jihadist, was shot and captured, though an embassy security guard sustained injuries during the incident.

The Lebanese military released a statement confirming that their forces had shot the attacker, who was found wearing a black vest emblazoned with “Islamic State” in Arabic and "IS" in English. Photos of the bloodied attacker were also released. Lebanon, directly north of Israel, is home to the Islamic terror group Hezbollah, which launched an attack on Israel following Hamas’ October 7 terror strike that resulted in over 1,200 deaths, including Americans.

“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 [Lebanese Armed Forces], [Internal Security Forces], and our Embassy security team, our facility and our team are safe,” the U.S. Embassy Beirut posted on X. “Investigations are underway and we are in close contact with host country law enforcement.”

An embassy spokesman provided limited details on the injured security guard, respecting his privacy, but wished him a full recovery.

This incident follows a similar attack last September when a man opened fire on the U.S. Embassy in Beirut. No injuries were reported in that event. Moreover, in the aftermath of Hamas’ attack on Israel, hundreds of Lebanese demonstrators supporting Hamas clashed with police near the U.S. Embassy.

Since the October 7 attack by Hamas and subsequent Hezbollah assaults, Israel has conducted strikes in Lebanon targeting top Hamas and Hezbollah leaders and military facilities. Lebanon is home to many individuals harboring anti-American and anti-Israel sentiments.

The U.S. Embassy in Beirut has a long history of being targeted. In 1983, a Hezbollah bombing killed 241 U.S. service members and 58 French military and civilian personnel. The attack led to the relocation of the embassy from central Beirut to the suburb of Aukar, which itself was bombed a year later, resulting in 23 fatalities, including two American soldiers.

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