US warns its citizens to leave Lebanon citing escalating security risks

US warns its citizens to leave Lebanon citing escalating security risks36 minutes agoShareSaveAdd as preferred on GoogleSareen HabeshianGetty ImagesThe US government has urged all Americans to leave Lebanon immediately, following a similar warning for those in Iraq.The US embassy in Beirut warned that the security situation in Lebanon was "volatile and unpredictable", with airstrikes, drone activity, and rocket attacks reported, particularly in the south, the Beqaa Valley, and parts of the capital.American universities in the region have also been threatened, the embassy warned, adding that Iran and its aligned militias may target institutions in Lebanon.The advisory follows recent developments, including a US fighter jet being shot down over Iran and strikes by the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) on parts of Beirut.US partially evacuates Beirut embassy amid rising Iran tensionsOn Friday, the embassy in Beirut recommended that Americans should not travel to Lebanon, and those already in the country must depart while commercial flights remain available.Those opting to stay were advised to prepare contingency plans for emergency situations and to be ready to shelter in place if the situation worsens.The embassy also "strongly" urged Americans in southern Lebanon, near the Syrian border, in refugee settlements, and in the  southern suburbs of Beirut, including Dahiyeh, to leave  those areas immediately.Earlier this year, in February, the US government had ordered all non-essential staff to leave its embassy in Beirut following a security review.About 50 members of US embassy staff were ordered to leave at the time.One crew member from US fighter jet downed in Iran has been rescued, US media reportAmericans in Iraq were also urged to evacuate on Thursday, days after an American journalist was kidnapped in Baghdad by an Iran-backed militia group.The US embassy in Iraq said that militia groups aligned with Iran may conduct attacks in central Baghdad in the...