Nearly 700 Americans Have Left Lebanon as Hostilities Mount

This picture shows a view of destruction following an overnight Israeli air strike on the neighborhood of Kafaat in Beirut's southern suburbs, on October 7, 2024. (AFP)
This picture shows a view of destruction following an overnight Israeli air strike on the neighborhood of Kafaat in Beirut's southern suburbs, on October 7, 2024. (AFP)
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Nearly 700 Americans Have Left Lebanon as Hostilities Mount

This picture shows a view of destruction following an overnight Israeli air strike on the neighborhood of Kafaat in Beirut's southern suburbs, on October 7, 2024. (AFP)
This picture shows a view of destruction following an overnight Israeli air strike on the neighborhood of Kafaat in Beirut's southern suburbs, on October 7, 2024. (AFP)

The State Department says nearly 700 American citizens, green card holders and family members have now left Lebanon aboard US-contracted planes since late September as hostilities between Israel and Hezbollah escalate and fears of a wider regional war in the Middle East grow.

The department said Monday that about 90 passengers — less than a third of the planes 300-person capacity — departed Beirut for Istanbul, Türkiye, on Sunday on the latest flight.

Hundreds of other Americans have left Lebanon aboard regularly scheduled commercial flights since fighting between Israel and Hezbollah intensified.

The department said it has made more than 2,900 seats available for Americans on those flights.

Twenty Indonesian nationals and a Lebanese evacuated from Lebanon arrived in Jakarta on a commercial flight early Monday and will likely be followed by 20 more in the afternoon, officials said.

President Joko Widodo has called to prioritize the evacuation of Indonesians in Lebanon as hostilities mount.

“I have directed the foreign affairs minister to take immediate action to ensure the safety and protection of our citizens and expedite their evacuation,” Widodo said last week.

Indonesia’s Embassy in Beirut had prepared evacuation procedures for citizens as part of its contingency planning since August. The Embassy evacuated 25 Indonesian citizens who returned safely to Indonesia last month, said Judha Nugraha, Director of Indonesian Citizen Protection at the Foreign Affairs Ministry.

There are 116 registered Indonesian citizens in Lebanon, most of them students, migrant workers and people married to Lebanese nationals. Many of them have chosen to remain there for various reasons, Nugraha said.



Jordan, Syria to Form Joint Committee to Secure their Border

Syrian Foreign Minister Asaad Hassan al-Shibani and Jordanian Foreign Minister Ayman Safadi attend a press conference as they meet in Amman, Jordan January 7, 2025. REUTERS/Alaa Al Sukhni
Syrian Foreign Minister Asaad Hassan al-Shibani and Jordanian Foreign Minister Ayman Safadi attend a press conference as they meet in Amman, Jordan January 7, 2025. REUTERS/Alaa Al Sukhni
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Jordan, Syria to Form Joint Committee to Secure their Border

Syrian Foreign Minister Asaad Hassan al-Shibani and Jordanian Foreign Minister Ayman Safadi attend a press conference as they meet in Amman, Jordan January 7, 2025. REUTERS/Alaa Al Sukhni
Syrian Foreign Minister Asaad Hassan al-Shibani and Jordanian Foreign Minister Ayman Safadi attend a press conference as they meet in Amman, Jordan January 7, 2025. REUTERS/Alaa Al Sukhni

Jordan and Syria agreed to form a joint security committee to secure their border and combat the smuggling of arms and drugs as well as cooperating to prevent the resurgence of ISIS, Jordanian Foreign Minister Ayman Safadi said on Tuesday.

Safadi met in Amman on Tuesday with visiting Syrian Foreign Minister Asaad Hassan al-Shibani, who said during a joint press conference that the latest US move to ease sanctions should be a step towards full lifting of sanctions.

Shibani said existing sanctions were a main hurdle to the recovery of Syria.

The United States on Monday issued a sanctions exemption for transactions with governing institutions in Syria for six months after the end of president Bashar al-Assad's rule to try to increase the flow of humanitarian assistance.