Israel-Hamas war: US allows non-essential embassy staff to leave Lebanon citing 'unpredictable security situation' 

The United States authorized non-essential personnel and their families to leave their embassy near Beirut on Tuesday. The move came in response to the uncertain security situation in Lebanon, which has been influenced by the ongoing Israel-Hamas conflict. Consequently, American citizens were advised to refrain from travelling to Lebanon due to heightened security concerns. “Do not travel to Lebanon due to the unpredictable security situation related to rocket, missile, and artillery exchanges between Israel and Hezbollah or other armed militant factions,” the State Department said in a statement Tuesday. Backed by a barrage of rockets, Hamas terrorists stormed from the blockaded Gaza Strip into nearby Israeli towns, killing civilians and abducting several in an unprecedented surprise attack during a major Jewish holiday on October 7. Following the attack, Israel launched a wave of retaliatory air strikes against the Gaza Strip, killing about 3,000 people, mostly civilians. Lebanon-based Hezbollah, which like Hamas is backed by Iran, has since been involved in a series of tit-for-tat incidents along the south Lebanese border with Israel. After a blast ripped through a Gaza hospital on Tuesday, killing hundreds, Hezbollah called for a “day of rage.“Israel and Palestinians have traded blame for the blast, though neither’s claim could be independently verified. Following Hezbollah’s call, hundreds of demonstrators scuffled Tuesday night with Lebanese security forces outside the US embassy in the Beirut suburb of Awkar, where protesters hurled stones and set a building on fire, according to AFP correspondents. Hundreds of Palestinians had taken refuge in al-Ahli and other hospitals in Gaza City in the past days, hoping they would be spared bombardment after Israel ordered all residents of the city and surrounding areas to evacuate to the southern Gaza Strip. With inputs from agencies.