Despite ongoing Israeli airstrikes and a U.S. travel warning, only a fraction of eligible American citizens and green card holders in Lebanon have been evacuated due to difficulties reaching the airport and lack of a comprehensive evacuation plan.
As the conflict between Israel and Lebanon intensifies, concerns escalate over the safety of American citizens and green card holders residing in the region. Despite a State Department advisory urging U.S. citizens to leave Lebanon immediately, only around a quarter of the estimated 86,000 Americans and green card holders have been evacuated.
The U.S. has made limited arrangements for evacuations, offering around 5,000 seats on commercial and chartered flights for U.S. citizens. However, critics argue that this is insufficient, as individuals are expected to make their own way to the airport amid dangerous conditions. This has resulted in only around 1,100 Americans being evacuated across 10 U.S.-organized flights.
American Evacuations from Lebanon Halted Amid Escalating Israeli Violence
The U.S. had initially announced that it would not assist in evacuations, leading to exorbitant airline prices. The State Department subsequently reversed its stance, promising to help organize flights at reasonable rates. Despite these efforts, some 8,500 U.S. citizens have contacted the U.S. embassy in Beirut for assistance in leaving the country.
Human rights attorney Maria Kari emphasizes the need for a noncombatant evacuation operation (NEO) involving U.S. forces to facilitate the safe evacuation of Americans. She highlights that many U.S. citizens and green card holders are unwilling to abandon family members who do not hold U.S. passports.
Kari criticizes the State Department for failing to address the difficulty in reaching the airport safely, given recent bombings in the vicinity. The only international airport in Beirut is situated within a few miles of Hezbollah headquarters, posing a potential threat to evacuees.
The U.S. embassy in Beirut has indicated that it will not process new visa applications, further complicating the evacuation process for family members of U.S. citizens. Kari draws parallels to the situation in Gaza, where Israeli Americans were granted visa waivers for their immediate family members during the recent conflict.
The security situation in Lebanon is rapidly deteriorating, with Israel intensifying its ground incursion into Hezbollah strongholds and targeting areas around the airport. According to the Lebanese Health Ministry, around 2,000 people have been killed in Israeli attacks, including over 120 children and 260 women.
Zev Faintuch, head of research at Global Guardian, warns that while the airport remains open, it is not guaranteed to stay operational indefinitely. He expresses concerns that Israel may target the airport, similar to its actions in 2006.
The ongoing conflict has forced around 1.2 million people, or a quarter of Lebanon's population, to flee their homes. As the situation continues to escalate, concerns remain over the safety of Americans and the need for a more comprehensive evacuation plan.
