Shots fired near US embassy in Beirut, no staff hurt

Local media report firefight for almost half an hour before Lebanese army shoots gunman; wounded assailant said to be Syrian national

By AP and ToI Staff 5 June 2024, 10:51 am Edit
A Lebanese Army investigator collects forensic evidence outside the US Embassy in Awkar, a northern suburb of Beirut, Lebanon, Sept. 21, 2023. (AP Photo/Hassan Ammar)
A Lebanese Army investigator collects forensic evidence outside the US Embassy in Awkar, a northern suburb of Beirut, Lebanon, Sept. 21, 2023. (AP Photo/Hassan Ammar)

A gunman attempted an attack on the US Embassy near Beirut, Lebanon on Wednesday morning, according to the Lebanese military.

The Lebanese military in a statement said that soldiers shot an assailant, who they only described as a Syrian national. The gunman was wounded and taken to a hospital.

Local media reported that there was a gunfight for almost half an hour near the US diplomatic mission in the suburb of Awkar, north of Beirut.

The US Embassy confirmed in a post to X on Wednesday that “At 8:34 a.m. local time, small arms fire was reported in the vicinity of the entrance to the U.S. Embassy.”

The incident did not cause any casualties among embassy staff, the post confirmed. The embassy thanked the Lebanese Armed Forces, the country’s Internal Security Forces, and the embassy security team.

“Investigations are now underway and we are in close contact with host country law enforcement,” the post concluded.

In video posted to social media on Wednesday that purported to be from the events, the sound of gunfire could be heard.

The Lebanese military said it deployed troops around the embassy and surrounding areas.

The reported attack came as fighting between Israel and the Iranian-backed Lebanese terror group Hezbollah continued to escalate.

In 1983, a deadly bombing attack on the US Embassy in Beirut killed 63 people. US officials blame the attack on Hezbollah.

Following that attack, the embassy was moved from central Beirut to the Christian suburb of Awkar, north of the capital. Another bomb attack struck the new location on September 20, 1984.

In September 2023, Lebanese security forces detained a Lebanese man who opened fire by the US Embassy. There were no casualties in that attack.

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