Attack on US embassy in Lebanon by gunmen wearing “ISIS” vests

A gunman opened fire on the U.S. embassy in Lebanon on Wednesday, wounding a security guard before he was captured by Lebanese forces.

Sources told Reuters that the gunman’s clothing had the words “Islamic State” in Arabic and “ISIS” in English written on it.

The Lebanese military searched the man’s hometown of Majdar Anjar and arrested his relatives but found no evidence of a terrorist cell, officials told The Associated Press. They said he appeared to be a lone gunman.

The US Embassy in Aukar, a northern suburb of Beirut, reported “small arms fire” around 8:30 a.m. local time. Security forces exchanged fire with the attacker, hitting him in the stomach and leg, officials said.

According to authorities, a Lebanese embassy security officer was also injured in the incident and taken to hospital.

“Our facility and our team are safe,” Embassy wrote on Twitterand thanked the Lebanese military and security forces.

The US embassy in Lebanon has often been the target of anti-American groups. In 1983, a suicide attack on the US embassy in Beirut, staged by Hezbollah, killed 63 people. After the attack, the embassy was moved from Beirut to Aukar.

In October 2023, protesters gathered outside the embassy when President Biden visited Israel, days after the Hamas attack on October 7. In the months that followed, clashes continued between the Israeli military and Lebanon-based Hezbollah.

Embassy staff said the Building would be closed until Wednesday while authorities investigated the shooting. However, the embassy planned to reopen for regular business on Thursday.

Lebanon’s caretaker Prime Minister Najib Mikati said he was aware of the attack and had consulted with senior defense officials.

With News Wire Services