US Embassy denies reports of heightened security alert

BEIRUT — A U.S. Embassy spokesperson denied to L'Orient Today on Monday reports claiming that the U.S. raised security levels at the embassy in Awkar (Metn district,) north of Beirut.

Citing high-level Lebanese sources, the report, which was first published by the UAE news platform Erem News on Sunday and reshared by local media outlets, claimed that "Washington raised security levels and protective measures for the U.S. embassy in recent hours."

Erem news added that U.S. special forces arrived to Lebanon over the past two days as part of a plan to increase security at the embassy "so that it is not exposed to any danger or threat, whether from Hezbollah directing protesters to the vicinity of the embassy or any planned military sabotage operations in light of the presence of elements of the Iranian Revolutionary Guard in Lebanon."

Commenting on these claims, the U.S. embassy spokesperson said that they are inaccurate.

Hezbollah supporters have staged protests against the Lebanese government's Aug. 5 decision to disarm Hezbollah by the end of the year. These protests, which had remained limited in scope and confined to the southern suburbs of Beirut, have resumed after the government "welcomed" on Sept. 5 the plan prepared by the Lebanese Army to dismantle the group's arsenals. However, the current protests are at an even lower intensity than those that occurred last month.