The U.S. Embassy in Lebanon encouraged Americans still in the country to leave using “any ticket available” as the Biden administration fears a regional war in the country between Hezbollah and Israel.
The State Department raised the security threat level in Lebanon last week to “do not travel,” sparking mass cancelations of flights into and out of Beirut. Most major airlines have stopped travel to the country, making it difficult for some people to leave.
“U.S. Embassy Beirut notes several airlines have suspended or cancelled flights, and many flights have sold out; however, commercial transportation options to leave Lebanon remain available,” the embassy said in a statement Saturday. “We encourage those who wish to depart Lebanon to book any ticket available to them, even if that flight does not depart immediately or does not follow their first-choice route.”
The embassy also warned that Americans who do not leave the country should be prepared to “shelter in place for an extended period of time.”
Top Israeli leaders have urged all-out war with Hezbollah in Lebanon after the militant group struck a soccer field in northern Israel, killing 12 children. The militant group has skirmished with Israeli troops on the border for months amidst the Israel-Hamas war.
Deputy National Security Adviser Jonathan Finer said in a CBS “Face the Nation” interview on Sunday that the U.S. is working to lower tensions between Israel and Hezbollah after months of skirmishes.
“What we're trying to do is prepare for any eventuality,” he said. “Obviously, we've been quite clear that we will work with our ally Israel to defend itself against key threats that it faces, and we are in a moment that appears to be a heightened threat.”
The U.S. also ordered a carrier group and additional fighter aircraft to the eastern Mediterranean on Friday in deterrence of any Hezbollah or Iranian attack on Israel.
Finer said the move is “entirely focused on defending Israel against potential threats it may face, and out of our desire to both deter those threats, defend against them, and ultimately deescalate the situation and avoid it sliding into a regional war.”
