U.S. Embassy Urges Americans in Lebanon to be Highly Vigilant

The U.S. Embassy in Beirut on Friday urged U.S. citizens in Lebanon to “maintain a high level of vigilance” after Iran vowed a "harsh retaliation" for a U.S. strike in Iraq that killed Qasem Soleimani, a top Iranian general who had been the architect of Iran’s interventions across the Middle East.

“Due to heightened tensions in Iraq and the region, the U.S. Embassy urges U.S. citizens in Lebanon to maintain a high level of vigilance and practice good situational awareness,” the Embassy said in a security alert published on its website.

The Embassy urged Americans to monitor the website and local and international media for updates and to “stay alert in locations frequented by Westerners.”

Iran's top security body vowed Friday to retaliate to Soleimani’s killing in the "right place and time."

"America should know that its criminal attack on General Soleimani has been the country's biggest mistake in west Asia, and America will not avoid the consequences of this wrong calculation easily," the Supreme National Security Council said in a statement.

"These criminals will face severe vengeance... in the right place and time," it added after holding an extraordinary meeting following Soleimani's death.

The council described Soleimani as a "glorious general" who was the "pride not only for Iranians but all Muslims and downtrodden... across the world."