The State Department on Wednesday issued a hasty “do not travel” to Lebanon warning for American citizens hours after a pro-Palestinian protest ignited a fire in the U.S. Embassy complex in Beirut.
No one was apparently injured in the fire, and family members of the embassy’s staff and nonessential personnel were given clearance to leave the country.
The incident underscored the tinderbox nature of the region in the days since the Oct. 7 attack by Hamas terrorists killed over 1,400 Israelis and sparked a retaliation campaign in Gaza by Israel that could soon lead to a ground war in the Palestinian enclave.
Lebanon is home to the Shiite militia movement Hezbollah, which is aligned with Hamas and Iran in a “rejection front” that has long battled Israel. Multiple firings across both sides of the Israel-Lebanon border have erupted since the Hamas attack, sparking fears the clash may grow into a regional war.
The U.S. travel advisory came just hours after the Beirut protests began Tuesday, citing the “unpredictable security situation related to rocket, missile and artillery exchanges between Israel and Hezbollah or other armed militant factions.”
The advisory continued: “U.S. citizens should avoid demonstrations and exercise caution if in the vicinity of any large gatherings or protests, as some of these have turned violent. Protesters have blocked major roads, including thoroughfares between downtown Beirut and the area where the U.S. Embassy is located, and between Beirut and Beirut-Rafic Hariri International Airport.”
According to videos and local press reports, hundreds of demonstrators, some waving Palestinian flags, gathered in front of the American compound in Beirut after word came of a still-unexplained bomb attack that killed hundreds at a crowded hospital in Gaza.
Some of the protesters came armed with Molotov cocktails, apparently starting the fire that could be seen in videos behind the security gate of the U.S. Embassy.
Israeli officials have presented intelligence they say suggests the hospital was hit by an errant missile fired by Palestinian terrorists, but Hezbollah leaders seized on the event to call for a “day of unprecedented anger” in Beirut.
The State Department advisory said the U.S. Embassy remained open for business despite the voluntary evacuations, but encouraged Americans living in Lebanon to leave or take measures to ensure their safety.
“The Department of State urges U.S. citizens not to travel to Lebanon,” the advisory read. “We recommend that U.S. citizens in Lebanon make appropriate arrangements to leave the country; commercial options currently remain available. We recommend that U.S. citizens who choose not to depart prepare contingency plans for emergency situations.”
Protests and demonstrations against Israeli, U.S. and European diplomatic sites have been reported in recent days in Egypt, Tunisia, Turkey, Morocco and other Muslim-majority states.
• David R. Sands can be reached at dsands@washingtontimes.com.
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