The US Embassy in Lebanon was shot at by a gunman, the army said

The Lebanese army reported that a gunman opened fire on the US Embassy in Lebanon on Wednesday and was hurt during a firefight with military personnel.
According to the army, the assailant, a citizen of Syria, was apprehended and sent to a hospital for medical attention. Soldiers were also scouring the area for further gunmen.

The embassy announced that it will not be open to the public for the remainder of Wednesday but that on Thursday, June 6, it will be open for regular business.

Small weapons fire was reported early in the morning close to the U.S. Embassy, according to reports. It said the staff and the facility were secure. According to diplomatic sources, U.S. ambassador Lisa Johnson is now traveling outside of Lebanon.

Lebanese troops injured the gunman in the stomach, a security source in Lebanon told Reuters.

A member of the embassy’s security staff was reportedly lightly hurt, according to the security source. When a reporter from Reuters inquired about any injuries among the diplomatic guards, an embassy official remained silent.

Reuters geolocated images of the alleged attacker that were circulating online and confirmed their identity. A portion of the Arabic writing on his vest that said “Islamic” was confirmed by Reuters. The incident was not immediately attributed to anyone.

A Reuters cameraman observed Lebanese security personnel erecting checkpoints around the embassy while a helicopter built in the United States and supplied to the Lebanese army flew overhead.

Najib Mikati, the acting prime minister of Lebanon, stated he was checking in with the security services and the defense ministry over the event.

The U.S. Embassy is located in a heavily guarded area to the north of Beirut, with several checkpoints en route to the gate. It relocated there from Beirut in the wake of a 1983 suicide attack that claimed the lives of over sixty people.
There were gunshots fired close to the embassy in September, but no one was hurt.

Many demonstrators gathered in front of the embassy to show support during the early days of the Gaza conflict in mid-October. Water cannons and tear gas were deployed by Lebanese security forces to drive them away.

Since October, parallel to the Gaza war, Lebanon has been the site of hostilities between Israel and Hezbollah, which is backed by Iran. Fearing that the conflict will worsen, tens of thousands of civilians have been displaced on both sides of the Israel-Lebanon border.

The US has been attempting to defuse tensions along the border diplomatically.

According to security and diplomatic sources, a member of the internal security forces in Lebanon who was tasked with guarding the Saudi embassy in Lebanon committed suicide on Wednesday outside the building.

According to the security source, the embassy guard shot himself in the head and passed away. According to the diplomatic source, he experienced mental health issues.