State Dept orders evacuation of non-emergency US personnel from embassy in Beirut

The U.S. State Department ordered non-emergency personnel to evacuate the U.S. Embassy in Beirut, Lebanon on Monday.

“The Department of State has ordered the departure of non-emergency U.S. government personnel and eligible family members from U.S. Embassy Beirut,” the State Department said.

“We continuously assess the security environment, and based on our latest review, we determined it prudent to reduce our footprint to essential personnel. The Embassy remains operational with core staff in place. This is a temporary measure intended to ensure the safety of our personnel while maintaining our ability to operate and assist U.S. citizens,” the statement continued.

This is a developing story. Check back soon for updates.