Gunman Attacks U.S. Embassy in Lebanon, Injures Security Guard

Early Wednesday, a gunman opened fire on the U.S. Embassy in Lebanon, injuring a security guard before his arrest, according to the Lebanese Army. The embassy confirmed the wounding of the guard but did not specify the severity of the injury.

Lebanese security forces and the embassy’s security team responded to “small-arms fire” near the entrance of the fortified compound overlooking Beirut, the capital of Lebanon, the embassy stated.

The Lebanese Army identified the attacker as a Syrian national. Soldiers wounded the assailant during the gunfire exchange, and he is currently receiving treatment at a hospital. An anonymous Lebanese security official reported that the army completed a search of the embassy’s surroundings, and preliminary information suggested the gunman acted alone.

Local news outlets, citing witnesses, reported a nearly half-hour gunfight before the attacker’s capture. Lebanon’s Prime Minister, Najib Mikati, assured the public that the situation was under control.

This attack marks the second time the embassy was targeted this year. In September, a gunman fired on the compound with no reported injuries, and authorities apprehended a suspect.

In October, protesters clashed with security forces while attempting to reach the embassy following a deadly explosion at Al-Ahli Arab Hospital in Gaza.

The embassy relocated from central Beirut to the northern suburb of Awkar after a suicide bombing in 1983 that killed 63 people. U.S. officials blamed the attack on the Lebanese militant group Hezbollah, which is currently engaged in cross-border clashes with Israeli forces.