UAE condemns attack on US embassy in Lebanon

A gunman fired shots at the US embassy in Beirut and was wounded in an exchange of fire with troops

The UAE strongly condemned the attack that targeted the US Embassy in Beirut, according to a statement issued on Thursday.

The government stressed the importance of protecting diplomatic buildings, as mandated by international law.

A gunman fired shots at the US embassy in Beirut on Wednesday and was wounded in an exchange of fire with troops, the Lebanese army said.

The army said the attacker, a Syrian national, was detained and taken to hospital for treatment.

The US embassy said small arms fire was reported near its entrance in the morning but that the facility and staff were safe. There was no immediate claim of responsibility for the attack, but another senior Lebanese security source told Reuters that the army was investigating possible links to Daesh.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs confirmed, in a statement, that the UAE expresses its “strong condemnation of these criminal acts, and its permanent rejection of all forms of violence and terrorism that aim to destabilise security and stability”.