Brian McDonald
Beirut – An armed man was shot and captured by Lebanese soldiers after trying to attack the US Embassy on Wednesday, the military said. The embassy is outside Beirut.
The attack came as tensions continued to boil in the small Mediterranean country, where months of fighting between Hezbollah militants and Israeli troops have displaced thousands of people along the border after years of political stalemate and economic hardship.
The Lebanese military, in a statement, said soldiers fired at an attacker, who they described only as a Syrian citizen. The shooter was taken to a hospital.
Mohamed Azakir/REUTERS
The shooters’ motives were unclear. However, Lebanese media published photos that appear to show a bloodied attacker wearing a black vest with the words “Islamic State” written in Arabic and the English initials “I” and “S.” ISIS is also known as the Islamic State.
Local media reported that gunfire erupted for nearly half an hour near the US diplomatic mission in the suburb of Aukar, north of Beirut.
A Lebanese security official told the Associated Press there were four attackers, including one who led the gunmen to the scene and three who opened fire.
One shooter was killed, one escaped and the third was injured and detained by the Lebanese military. The official spoke on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to speak to the press.
Houssam Shbaro/Anadolu via Getty Images
The US Embassy said small arms fire was reported near its entrance, but the gunfire did not injure any of its staff and that Lebanese troops and embassy security mobilized quickly.
A statement from Lebanese interim Prime Minister Najib Mikati’s office said he was informed after meetings with the defense minister and army commander that the situation was now stable and that serious investigations were underway.
The Lebanese military said it deployed troops around the embassy and surrounding areas.
In 1983, a deadly bomb attack on the US Embassy in Beirut killed 63 people. American authorities blame the attack on the Lebanese militant group Hezbollah.
After this attack, the embassy was moved from the center of Beirut to the Christian suburb of Aukar, north of the capital. Another bomb attack hit the new location on September 20, 1984.
In September 2023, Lebanese security forces detained a Lebanese man who opened fire on the US Embassy. There were no casualties in this attack.
In October 2023, hundreds of protesters clashed with Lebanese security forces in demonstrations near the US Embassy in support of the people of Gaza and the militant group Hamas in his war with Israel.
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