The United States has ordered the departure of non-emergency personnel from its embassy in Beirut, Lebanon, as tensions with Iran escalate. A senior State Department official described the move as a 'prudent' measure to reduce the embassy's footprint to essential staff, while maintaining core operations.
The evacuation, which involved an estimated 30 to 50 personnel, comes as US ships and warplanes are positioned in the region for a potential strike against Iran. The drawdown aims to protect staff from possible Iranian retaliation, including missile attacks or actions by proxy forces such as Hezbollah in Lebanon.
This is not the first such evacuation; in 2025, the US temporarily removed non-essential personnel from embassies in Iraq, Bahrain, and Kuwait before launching strikes on Iranian nuclear facilities. The current move coincides with indirect US-Iran talks in Geneva scheduled for Thursday, focused on limiting Iran's nuclear programme.
US envoy Steve Witkoff expressed confusion over Iran's reluctance to capitulate in negotiations, despite significant military pressure. The US has deployed two aircraft carriers, dozens of warplanes, and advanced aircraft to the region in its largest military buildup since before the Iraq war.
Iran has conducted joint military drills with Russia, testing anti-ship missiles capable of threatening the Strait of Hormuz. Meanwhile, the US has also begun withdrawing troops from bases in Syria, though the administration denies a link to potential strikes on Iran.
