The U.S. State Department ordered non-emergency personnel to evacuate the U.S. Embassy in Beirut, Lebanon.
“The Department of State updated its Travel Advisory for Lebanon on February 23, 2026, to reflect that the Department ordered non-emergency U.S. government personnel and the family members of government personnel to leave Lebanon due to safety risks. The Travel Advisory Level for Lebanon remains Level 4 – Do Not Travel,” the U.S. Embassy in Lebanon stated.
“Out of an abundance of caution and until further notice, U.S. Embassy Beirut has suspended routine consular services. Americans should contact [email protected] in case of emergency. Americans in Lebanon are strongly encouraged to depart now. The commercial airport remains open and there is availability on commercial carriers, however flights may be cancelled at any time. Please check flight options at Beirut–Rafic Hariri International Airport,” the statement continued.
“Americans who choose not to depart at this time should prepare contingency plans should the situation deteriorate. These alternative plans should not rely on the U.S. government for assisted departure or evacuation,” it added.
JUST IN: 🇺🇸🇱🇧 US embassy evacuates staff from Beirut, Lebanon. pic.twitter.com/Nx4ZtrV1lR
— BRICS News (@BRICSinfo) February 23, 2026
Fox News has more:
Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) has tightened control over Hezbollah in Lebanon amid looming prospects of potential U.S. strikes, according to reports.
According to the Jerusalem Post, the tactical shift comes as Hezbollah and Iran prepare for military confrontation in the region, with analysts warning that if Washington specifically strikes the regime, Hezbollah is ready to be “activated.”
“If the regime in Tehran feels threatened, the likelihood of unleashing Hezbollah against Israel and U.S. regional assets increases substantially,” Ross Harrison, a senior fellow at the Middle East Institute, told Fox News Digital.
“Hezbollah would not be activated right away, unless the attack immediately targets the leadership of the Islamic Republic. But as part of a graduated response, Hezbollah will likely be seen as an asset,” he said.
“If it faces an existential risk, then Iran may throw caution to the wind and try to deploy Hezbollah to the maximum,” Harrison, author of “Decoding Iran’s Foreign Policy” explained.
The U.S. Embassy in Lebanon listed the following actions to take:
- Americans who wish to depart should take advantage of commercial transportation options.
- If you choose to remain in Lebanon, be prepared to shelter in place should the situation deteriorate.
- Have a contingency plan for emergencies and review the Traveler’s Checklist .
- Enroll in the Smart Traveler Enrollment Program (STEP) at step.state.gov to receive critical information from the Embassy related to health and safety in Lebanon.
- Have a plan to depart in an emergency that does not depend on U.S. government help. Review our information on Crisis and Evacuations
“On February 23, the Department of State ordered the departure of non-emergency U.S. government personnel and family members of government personnel due to the security situation in Beirut. U.S. Embassy Beirut personnel are restricted from personal travel without advance permission. Additional travel restrictions may be imposed on U.S. personnel under Chief of Mission security responsibility, with little to no notice due to increased security issues or threats,” the statement added.
BREAKING 🔴
— Open Source Intel (@Osint613) February 23, 2026
STATE DEPT: LEBANON: DO NOT TRAVEL pic.twitter.com/yOY8cFDKVQ
The Guardian shared further:
The diplomatic drawdown followed reports that dozens of US personnel had been evacuated through Lebanon’s Beirut-Rafic Hariri international airport to protect them from a possible Iranian counterattack if tensions between the US and Iran escalate into war. Roughly 30-50 US embassy personnel have left the country, estimates suggest.
The US and Iran are scheduled to hold a third round of indirect talks in Geneva on Thursday on limiting Iran’s nuclear programme. Donald Trump has said that he wants a “meaningful deal” that will prevent Iran from seeking to build a nuclear weapon and warned that “bad things” would happen if no deal was made.
The US has evacuated personnel from its embassies and military bases as part of its preparations for armed conflict with Iran in the past. In 2025, the US temporarily evacuated non-essential personnel from embassies in Iraq, Bahrain and Kuwait before launching strikes on Iranian uranium enrichment and other facilities linked to its nuclear programme.
