Report: U.S. Embassy Issues New Warning to Nationals in Lebanon

The U.S. Department of State issued a travel warning advisory to Lebanon over safety and security concerns, the pan-Arab daily Asharq al-Awsat reported on Wednesday.

According to a statement obtained by the daily, the U.S. embassy in Lebanon conveyed the country's warning, which called on its nationals to “take the highest precaution measures during the upcoming two weeks.”

The statement urged U.S. citizens to “avoid heading to hotels, public activities or any social event,” considering that these sites “are targets for any possible terrorist attack, in the short-term.”

The daily reported that the Embassy called on U.S. citizens “to avoid all travel to Lebanon due to safety and security concerns,” noting that “those who are currently in Lebanon “should understand that they accept the risks.”

The newspaper quoted the U.S. embassy as saying: “it might have a limited ability to reach all areas in the country.”

The Embassy urged the U.S. citizens traveling to or residing in Lebanon to enroll in the Department of State's Smart Traveler Enrollment Program to get you the latest security updates, and makes it easier for the U.S. embassy or nearest U.S. consulate to contact you in an emergency.

On December 27, ex-Finance Minister and former Prime Minister Saad Hariri's adviser, Mohammed Shatah, who is a prominent critic of the Syrian regime, and seven others were killed in car bombing in the heart of the capital.

The U.S. State Department has already warned U.S. citizens on several occasions to avoid all travel to Lebanon and recommended those in the country make plans to leave.

The conflict in Syria has increasingly spilled over into Lebanon in the shape of deadly clashes and bombings.