US arranges flights to bring Americans out of Lebanon as others seek escape

Associated Press

WASHINGTON (AP) — U.S.-arranged flights have brought about 350 Americans and their immediate relatives out of Lebanon this week during escalated fighting between Israel and Hezbollah. That’s as thousands of Americans still there face airstrikes and diminishing commercial flights. In Washington, White House officials met with two top Arab American officials to discuss U.S. efforts to help American citizens leave Lebanon. The Pentagon says no evacuation is being considered right now. The State Department has been telling Americans for almost a year not to travel to Lebanon and advising Americans to leave the country on commercial flights for months. Some Americans said their relatives who are U.S. citizens or green-card holders have been struggling to get seats on flights out of Lebanon.