A gunman opened fire on the U.S. Embassy in Lebanon on Wednesday, wounding a security officer before he was captured by Lebanese forces.
The shooter had “Islamic State” written in Arabic and “ISIS” written in English on his clothes, sources told Reuters.
Lebanon’s military raided the man’s hometown of Majdar Anjar and detained his relatives but did not find any evidence of a terrorist cell, officials told The Associated Press. They said he appeared to be a lone wolf attacker.
The U.S. Embassy in Aukar, a northern suburb of Beirut, reported “small arms fire” around 8:30 a.m. local time. Security personnel exchanged gunfire with the attacker, striking him in the stomach and leg, officials said.
A Lebanese security guard at the embassy was also wounded and hospitalized following the incident, according to authorities.
“Our facility and our team are safe,” the embassy wrote on Twitter, thanking the Lebanese military and security forces.
The U.S. Embassy in Lebanon has often been a target for anti-U.S. groups. In 1983, a suicide bombing orchestrated by Hezbollah killed 63 people at the U.S. Embassy in Beirut. The embassy was moved out of Beirut to Aukar after the bombing.
More recently, protesters gathered outside the embassy in October 2023, when President Biden visited Israel days after Hamas’ Oct. 7 attack. Clashes between Israel’s military and Lebanon-based Hezbollah have continued throughout the ensuing months.
Embassy staff said the building would be closed through Wednesday as 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 following up with top defense officials.
With News Wire Services
