Washington DC [US], February 23 : The US State Department has ordered the evacuation of non-emergency US Government personnel from its Embassy in Beirut, Lebanon, on Monday, as per Fox News.
The department did not offer any details for the reason behind the evacuation. The move comes as US President Donald Trump has ordered a large buildup of forces in the Middle East and made threats against the Iranian regime.
"The Department of State has ordered the departure of non-emergency U.S. government personnel and eligible family members from US Embassy Beirut," the State Department said, as per Fox News.
"We continuously assess the security environment, and based on our latest review, we determined it prudent to reduce our footprint to essential personnel. The Embassy remains operational with core staff in place. This is a temporary measure intended to ensure the safety of our personnel while maintaining our ability to operate and assist US citizens," the statement continued, as reported by Fox News.
Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) has tightened control over Hezbollah in Lebanon amid looming prospects of potential US strikes, according to reports, Fox News reported.
According to the Jerusalem Post, move comes as Hezbollah and Iran prepare for military confrontation in the region, with analysts warning that if Washington specifically strikes the regime, Hezbollah is ready to be "activated."
"If the regime in Tehran feels threatened, the likelihood of unleashing Hezbollah against Israel and US regional assets increases substantially," Ross Harrison, a senior fellow at the Middle East Institute, told Fox News Digital.
"Hezbollah would not be activated right away, unless the attack immediately targets the leadership of the Islamic Republic. But as part of a graduated response, Hezbollah will likely be seen as an asset. If it faces an existential risk, then Iran may throw caution to the wind and try to deploy Hezbollah to the maximum," Harrison, author of 'Decoding Iran's Foreign Policy' explained, as per Fox News.
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