In mid-October 2023, the U.S. State Department authorized the voluntary departure and limited emergency departure of employees from the embassy in Beirut, Lebanon after the October 7th, 2023 Hamas slaughter of Israelis. While embassy activities were not halted, services were curtailed due to a number of personnel that relocated.
However, today, the embassy in Beirut, Lebanon has returned to full staffing, although Lebanon is still slapped with a Level 4 Travel Advisory for Americans (Do Not Travel). The announcement reads below:
“U.S. Embassy Beirut is no longer on Authorized Departure status. The Embassy has returned to normal staffing and presence. However, the Travel Advisory level for Lebanon remains at Level 4, recommending that U.S. citizens do not travel to Lebanon due to crime, terrorism, armed conflict, civil unrest, kidnapping, and Embassy Beirut’s limited capacity to provide support to U.S. citizens. Some areas, especially near the borders, have increased risk.”
The U.S. embassy in Lebanon is the second largest diplomatic campus abroad, second only to Baghdad, Iraq. It sits on a 40-acre plot complete with recreational areas, large swimming pools, and views of the city.
