The United States has issued a strong warning to Israel, urging them to avoid attacking Beirut airport or the roads leading to it. This cautionary message aims to facilitate the safe departure of American citizens and those from other countries wishing to leave Lebanon amidst the intensifying conflict between Israel and the Iran-backed Hezbollah group.
The US State Department spokesperson, Matthew Miller, emphasized the importance of keeping both the airport and its access routes open, allowing Americans and other nationals seeking to leave to do so safely. This call comes after Israel’s air force struck near the international airport in the southern suburbs of Beirut on Monday, October 7.
Israel’s military launched a significant wave of air raids on southern Lebanon that day, employing 100 aircraft to target around 120 sites in a concentrated hour-long operation.
In an effort to aid stranded Americans, the US had previously announced the arrangement of flights to bring them and their immediate relatives back from Lebanon as tensions with Hezbollah escalated. Since late September, nearly 900 American citizens, green card holders, and their families have been evacuated from Lebanon on US-contracted flights. On Monday alone, an additional 150 Americans, legal permanent residents, and their families departed Beirut on a flight to Istanbul, Turkey.
Despite these efforts, the US embassy in Beirut reports that approximately 8,500 American citizens, many holding dual US-Lebanese nationality, have contacted them seeking information about leaving the country.
On the night of October 7, coinciding with Israel’s observance of the one-year anniversary of its war with Hamas, new Israeli strikes were reported in South Beirut. Lebanese state media documented two strikes hitting the city’s southern suburbs. These airstrikes followed a fresh warning issued by the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) to civilians in the area. The IDF, through its Arabic spokesperson Avichay Adraee, shared maps pinpointing specific buildings in the Burj al-Barajneh and Hadath neighborhoods, urging residents to evacuate and maintain a distance of at least 500 meters from these locations. Lebanese civilians were also advised to avoid the beachfront and any boats on the coast from the Awali River southward until further notice.
Meanwhile, Hezbollah retaliated with a barrage of approximately 190 rockets fired into Israel, primarily targeting the north. The IDF confirmed that around five launches were detected crossing from Lebanon, some intercepted by the Israeli Air Force, with the rest landing in open areas. Hezbollah also claimed responsibility for a rocket attack on a military intelligence base on the outskirts of Tel Aviv.
With the conflict continuing to escalate, the situation in Lebanon remains volatile, and the US remains focused on ensuring the safety of its citizens and facilitating their departure from the country.
