U.S. State Department urges immediate departure of citizens from Lebanon

Citing the unpredictable security situation, the department emphasized the importance of leaving while commercial flight options are still available.

In their statement, the department advised citizens to explore available flight options at Beirut–Rafic Hariri International Airport and stressed the necessity for individuals to have a crisis action plan that doesn't rely on U.S. government assistance.

The advisory highlighted the significance of leaving a country before a crisis occurs whenever feasible, as U.S. military-assisted evacuations from foreign countries are rare.

Furthermore, the State Department cautioned that there is no assurance of U.S. government-led evacuations for private American citizens and their families during a crisis.

They encouraged individuals who haven't done so already to complete a crisis intake form to ensure their contact information is on record for potential urgent updates. (ILKHA)