US Orders Non-Emergency Personnel To Leave Embassy in Beirut as Regional Tensions Rise By The Media Line Staff The US State Department on Monday ordered the departure of non-emergency US government personnel and eligible family members from the US Embassy in Beirut, citing heightened security concerns amid rising tensions in the Middle East. In a statement, the department said, “The Department […]
World
The Media Line: US Orders Non-Emergency Personnel To Leave Embassy in Beirut as Regional Tensions Rise
Audio By Carbonatix
US Orders Non-Emergency Personnel To Leave Embassy in Beirut as Regional Tensions Rise
By The Media Line Staff
The US State Department on Monday ordered the departure of non-emergency US government personnel and eligible family members from the US Embassy in Beirut, citing heightened security concerns amid rising tensions in the Middle East.
In a statement, the department said, “The Department of State has ordered the departure of non-emergency US government personnel and eligible family members from US Embassy Beirut.” It added, “We continuously assess the security environment, and based on our latest review, we determined it prudent to reduce our footprint to essential personnel.”
The evacuation order came as the United States continues a significant buildup of military assets across the region. The US arsenal in the area currently includes two destroyers in the Mediterranean Sea, one in the Red Sea, four in the Persian Gulf, and an aircraft carrier, the USS Abraham Lincoln, accompanied by four destroyers, positioned in the Arabian Sea. A second carrier, the USS Gerald R. Ford, arrived in the Mediterranean Sea on Friday with accompanying warships.
Axios reported on Tuesday, citing a US official, that the United States has moved more than 50 fighter jets to the Middle East in the past 24 hours as part of the air and naval buildup near Iran. Independent flight trackers observed multiple F-16, F-22, and F-35 aircraft en route to the region.
The security steps are being taken as Washington prepares to continue nuclear talks with Iran in Geneva on Thursday. At the same time, US President Donald Trump is considering a near-term, limited military strike against Iran to pressure Tehran to accept his nuclear demands, according to a report by The New York Times.
The newspaper reported that the initial option under review would be narrowly focused and could target Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps command centers, ballistic missile facilities, or elements of Iran’s nuclear infrastructure. If such an operation fails to achieve its objectives, the administration is also weighing a much broader military campaign later this year aimed at ending the rule of Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, the report said.