Report: U.S. Embassy in Beirut Reinforces Security

A US Marine Corps force of 35 soldiers arrived in Lebanon a few days ago, with the aim of intensifying security measures at the U.S. Embassy located in Awkar, al-Akhbar daily reported on Monday.

The daily said that the US troops arrived by plane that landed at the Hamat military airport, not through the Rafik Hariri International Airport in Beirut.

The step comes after a deepening regional crisis between the US and Iran amid fear of reprisals in response to the US assassination of key Iranian General Qassem Soleimani and top Iraqi military figure Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis.

Hamat Air Base is a Lebanese Air Force base that was never used as a civilian airport. It also operates with Puma helicopters. The airfield is also used by the Special Forces school.