As the conflict between Israel and Hezbollah has intensified, the U.S. State Department has boosted efforts to support American citizens and permanent residents seeking to leave Lebanon.
U.S. State Department spokesperson Matthew Miller said on Tuesday that the government is continuing to arrange their way out, adding that more than 1,000 U.S. citizens, their family members and permanent residents have fled the Middle Eastern country in U.S.-organized flights.
Miller said on Tuesday that about 120 people had left Lebanon on a U.S.-organized flight. The State Department has made available more than 3,900 seats on flights out of the country and contacted 8,800 people who are considering leaving.
The State Department issued a travel alert last week for “U.S. citizens to depart Lebanon now while commercial options and U.S. augmentation flights remain available. We urge U.S. citizens not to travel to Lebanon.”
It followed an advisory warning by the U.S. embassy in Beirut in September and one in late July not to travel to Lebanon or Syria, tagging it recently with a level 4 warning.
