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The United States is pulling non-essential diplomatic personnel and their families from its embassy in Beirut as tensions with Iran escalate.

Some shit you should know before you dig in: Despite being viewed as a terrorist organization by multiple Western countries, Hezbollah holds legitimate political power within Lebanon, with seats in parliament and significant influence over national security decisions. Recent reports from Israeli news outlets citing Israeli defense officials claim there are intelligence indications that officers from Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps are coordinating with Hezbollah on potential strike scenarios against Israel should the US or Israel launch an attack on Iran. According to those reports, Israeli security officials believe contingency planning is underway that could involve rocket fire or cross-border operations. Over the weekend, Israel carried out airstrikes targeting Hezbollah positions in southern Lebanon, reportedly hitting weapons storage facilities and militant infrastructure that Israeli officials said posed an imminent threat. Hezbollah acknowledged that at least 10 people died in the strikes, including a senior commander, Hussein Mohammed Yaghi. In addition, more than 50 people were wounded.

What’s going on now: In a notable development, the US embassy in Beirut has ordered the departure of all non-emergency US government personnel and eligible family members following a security review by the State Department.Officials described the move as a temporary precaution, stressing that the embassy remains operational with core diplomatic and security staff in place. Roughly 30 to 50 personnel have already left, while essential staff will continue to maintain operations and provide assistance to US citizens.

The drawdown comes amid escalating regional tensions and growing indications that President Trump may move forward with some form of military action against Iran if nuclear negotiations fail. Trump has publicly warned that “bad things” would happen absent a deal, while signaling a potential decision window within days. In parallel, the US has significantly increased its military footprint in the region, reinforcing concerns that contingency plans are advancing.

Additional US naval and air assets have surged into the Middle East, including carrier strike groups led by the USS Abraham Lincoln and the USS Gerald R. Ford, accompanied by destroyers and advanced fighter aircraft such as F-16s, F-22s, and F-35s. The military buildup has been described as the largest since the 2003 invasion of Iraq.