Lebanese soldiers apprehended a lone gunman who opened fire outside an American embassy Wednesday morning, injuring a security guard.
A gunfight between the shooter and the embassy staff reportedly lasted for close to an hour - with as many as 20 rounds of ammunition discharged during the conflict.
"We ran here to see what's happening and suddenly, the army blocked us from going up," gas station employee Joe Abdo told the Associated Press.
The suspect was initially identified to the Associated Press as a Syrian national, by the security officials familiar with the case. Photos from the scene also appear to show the man wearing clothing with the words "Islamic State" written in Arabic and the initials "IS" written in English letters.
The suspect was shot in the stomach and leg before he was apprehended and taken to the hospital, while in military custody. The American embassy confirmed that the building's security guard was also injured but did not share his identity with the press.
At 8:34 a.m. local time, small arms fire was reported in the vicinity of the entrance to the U.S. Embassy. Thanks to the quick reaction of the LAF, ISF, and our Embassy security team, our facility and our team are safe. Investigations are underway and we are in close contact…
— U.S. Embassy Beirut (@usembassybeirut) June 5, 2024
"Thanks to the quick reaction of host country security forces and our Embassy security team, our facility and our team are safe. Investigations are underway and we are in close contact with host country law enforcement," the embassy said in a statement.
The situation is under investigation by the Lebanese government and military.
The Embassy was closed to the public for the rest of Wednesday but plans to be open for general business as usual on Thursday.
