US orders nonessential diplomats to leave Lebanon as tensions with Iran soar

A U.S. State Department official said the U.S. has ordered nonessential diplomats and family members to leave Lebanon as tensions over Iran rise with the threat of a potentially imminent military strike.

The official said a continuous assessment of the regional security environment determined it was “prudent” to draw down the U.S. Embassy’s footprint so that only essential personnel remained at their posts.

The official, who spoke on the condition of anonymity because the move had not yet been formally announced, said that it is a temporary measure and that the embassy remained operational Monday.

A second department official, also speaking on the condition of anonymity to discuss plans that had not been formally announced, said Secretary of State Marco Rubio may delay his intended visits to Israel this weekend.

The U.S. Embassy in Beirut on Monday evacuated dozens of its employees through the Rafik Hariri International Airport, Lebanese and Arab TV networks had earlier said.

LBCI TV said the move comes as “a precautionary measure against the backdrop of the expected regional developments.”