The US State Department announced its assistance in evacuating 150 Americans from Lebanon to Turkey, as reported by Cairo News Channel.
The department emphasized its commitment to seeing a full implementation of United Nations Security Council Resolution 1701, particularly concerning the Israeli-Lebanese border.
The US has called on Israel not to target Beirut International Airport or its access roads, as Israeli forces continue heavy strikes on southern Beirut and other areas of Lebanon.
The State Department spokesperson Matthew Miller emphasized the importance of keeping the airport and its routes open to facilitate the departure of Americans from other countries who wish to leave Lebanon.
This comes as Washington has chartered semi-daily flights since last week to help evacuate its citizens and their families amidst escalating conflict between Israel and Hezbollah.
Miller reported that about 900 people have left on these flights, which were not fully booked, and the US continues to reserve seats on commercial flights that are still available.
He noted that approximately 8,500 Americans have contacted the State Department regarding departure procedures, though this does not imply they all intend to leave.
The Israeli Air Force conducted an airstrike near Beirut’s airport on Monday, according to a security source cited by AFP.
United Nations Security Council Resolution 1701, adopted in 2006, aimed to resolve the conflict between Israel and Hezbollah in Lebanon.
It called for a full cessation of hostilities, the withdrawal of Israeli forces, the disarmament of all armed groups in Lebanon, and the deployment of the Lebanese Army and an expanded United Nations Interim Force in Beirut (UNIFIL) in the south of the country.
This resolution also emphasizes the importance of the control and limitation of arms and respects the sovereignty and territorial integrity of the Arab country.
