Lebanon arrests gunman following assault on US embassy in Beirut | Battle Information

Assailant shot by troopers in a gunfight earlier than being arrested and brought to hospital, embassy studies workers ‘protected’.

A gunman who fired on the embassy of the USA in Beirut has been arrested after he was injured in return hearth.

The assault on the embassy on Wednesday morning was carried out by a Syrian nationwide, in keeping with the Lebanese navy. The incident comes amid heightened tensions throughout the area as Israel continues its warfare in Gaza.

The assailant, who was wounded in a gunfight with troopers, has been arrested and brought to hospital. The military mentioned in a press release on X that the attacker was a Syrian nationwide and that it was investigating the incident.

It provided no additional particulars, however a photograph being circulated on social media reveals a bloodied man carrying a vest with “Islamic State” written on it in Arabic and the English initials “I” and “S”.

Reporting from outdoors the embassy, Al Jazeera’s Zeina Khodr famous the “heavy safety presence”, with the Lebanese military not permitting individuals via to the compound.

The embassy, which sits within the metropolis’s northern suburb of Awkar, mentioned “small arms hearth” had been reported at 8.34am (05.34 GMT) “within the neighborhood of the doorway” to the constructing. It added that the embassy workers had been “protected”.

At 8:34 a.m. native time, small arms hearth was reported within the neighborhood of the doorway to the U.S. Embassy. Due to the short response of the LAF, ISF, and our Embassy safety staff, our facility and our staff are protected. Investigations are underway and we’re in shut contact…

— U.S. Embassy Beirut (@usembassybeirut) June 5, 2024

Native media reported that the gunfight lasted nearly half an hour. A member of the embassy’s safety staff was reportedly wounded, whereas the military was combing the world seeking another doable attackers, in keeping with a safety supply talking to the Reuters information company.

Lebanese safety sources have prompt that the detained attacker might not have been appearing alone, Khodr mentioned. Authorities have prompt that as much as 4 different gunmen had been concerned within the assault.

Anger

The embassy lies north of Beirut in a extremely secured zone with a number of checkpoints alongside the path to the doorway. It moved there following a suicide assault in 1983 which killed 63 individuals.

Rigidity has been excessive in Lebanon since Israel’s warfare in Gaza began in October. Iran-linked armed group Hezbollah has been engaged in mutual assaults with Israel over the nation’s southern border.

In September final yr, a gunman opened hearth on the US embassy, with out inflicting casualties. The Lebanese police had then mentioned the attacker was a supply driver in search of revenge for his perceived humiliation by safety personnel.

That capturing coincided with the anniversary of a lethal September 1984 automobile bombing outdoors the US embassy annexe in Beirut that killed not less than 20 individuals, which the US blamed on Hezbollah.

In October final yr, scores of protesters gathered outdoors the embassy to show within the early days of the Gaza warfare, and Lebanese safety forces used tear fuel and water cannon to repel them.

Iran-linked teams in Syria and Yemen have additionally maintained low-level battle with Israeli forces.

“It’s too early to say [what were] the motives behind the assaults. There hasn’t been any declare of duty,” Khodr mentioned.

“Ever for the reason that warfare on Gaza occurred in October, we’ve seen violent protests on this space, individuals attempting to make their solution to the embassy, individuals venting their anger in direction of the US administration,” the correspondent famous.