Assailant shot by soldiers in a shootout before being arrested and taken to hospital, embassy reports staff are “safe”.
A gunman who fired at the US embassy in Beirut has been arrested after being injured in return fire.
The attack on the embassy on Wednesday morning was carried out by a Syrian citizen, according to the Lebanese military. The incident comes amid rising tensions across the region as Israel continues its war in Gaza.
The attacker, injured in a shootout with soldiers, was arrested and taken to hospital. The army said in a statement on X that the attacker was a Syrian citizen and that it was investigating the incident.
He did not offer further details, but a photo circulating on social media shows a bloodied man wearing a vest with “Islamic State” written in Arabic and the English initials “I” and “S”.
Reporting from outside the embassy, Al Jazeera’s Zeina Khodr noted the “heavy security presence,” with the Lebanese army not allowing people into the complex.
The embassy, which is in the northern suburb of Awkar, said “small arms fire” was reported at 8:34 am (05:34 GMT) “in the vicinity of the entrance” to the building. He added that embassy staff were “safe”.
At 8:34 a.m. local time, small arms fire was reported near the entrance to the U.S. Embassy. Thanks to the quick reaction of the LAF, ISF and our Embassy security team, our facilities and staff are secure. Investigations are ongoing and we are in close contact…
— US Embassy Beirut (@usembassybeirut) June 5, 2024
Local media reported that the shooting lasted nearly half an hour. A member of the embassy’s security team was reportedly injured as the army searched the area for other possible attackers, according to a security source speaking to Reuters news agency.
Lebanese security sources suggested that the detained attacker may not have acted alone, Khodr said. Authorities suggested that up to four other gunmen were involved in the attack.
Anger
The embassy is located north of Beirut, in a highly secure area, with several checkpoints along the way to the entrance. He moved there after a 1983 suicide attack that killed 63 people.
Tensions have been high in Lebanon since Israel’s war in Gaza began in October. The Iranian-linked Hezbollah armed group has been involved in mutual attacks with Israel on the country’s southern border.
In September last year, a gunman opened fire on the US embassy, causing no casualties. Lebanese police then said the attacker was a delivery driver seeking revenge for alleged humiliation by security personnel.
That shooting coincided with the anniversary of a deadly car bomb in September 1984 outside the US embassy annex in Beirut that killed at least 20 people, and the US blamed Hezbollah.
In October last year, dozens of protesters gathered in front of the embassy to demonstrate in the early days of the war in Gaza, and Lebanese security forces used tear gas and water cannons to repel them.
Iran-linked groups in Syria and Yemen have also maintained low-intensity conflicts with Israeli forces.
“It’s too early to say [what were] the reasons behind the attacks. There was no claim of responsibility,” Khodr said.
“Since the war in Gaza happened in October, we have seen violent protests in this area, people trying to get to the embassy, people expressing their anger against the US administration,” the correspondent noted.
This story originally appeared on Aljazeera.com read the full story
