America orders the departure of non-essential diplomatic staff from its embassy in Beirut

The United States ordered the evacuation of non-essential employees from its embassy in Beirut, in a “temporary” measure in light of continuing tensions between Washington and Tehran, according to what a US official told Agence France-Presse on Monday.

“This is a temporary measure aimed at ensuring the safety of our employees while preserving our ability to work and assist American citizens,” the senior US State Department official said, requesting anonymity.

A Lebanese security source told Agence France-Presse that about 40 embassy employees left via Beirut Airport on Monday.

The decision applies to non-essential employees and their family members, but the embassy will remain open.

The American official added, “We are constantly assessing the security situation, and based on our latest analyses, we have deemed it wise to reduce our presence to essential personnel only.”