Beirut Embassy: US citizens in Lebanon should have a "crisis plan" to evacuate

Rena Bitter, US Assistant Secretary of State for Consular Affairs at the US Embassy in Beirut, issued a video statement today (Monday) calling on American citizens in Lebanon to develop a "crisis plan" if one develops.

Bitter advised that those who can leave while commercial planes are still running and local infrastructure and transportation is still intact should do so before a crisis begins. Those who are still in Lebanon if a crisis hits should be prepared to shelter in place for "long periods of time."

This suggests that US officials are at least considering the possibility that a general war or something close to it may develop in the near future in Lebanon.