September 20, 1984, just over a year after the 1983 US Embassy attack, after the United States had relocated embassy operations from West Beirut to Aukar, a Christian suburb of East Beirut, a suicide bomber sped towards the entrance with a van packed with 3,000 pounds of explosives. The driver was shot before reaching his target and lost control, but the vehicle detonated after striking a parked van. The resulting explosion destroyed the front of the embassy, with Hezbollah claiming responsibility under the cover name of the Islamic Jihad Organization.—(US Army CGSC)
Date of event: September 20, 1984
Impact:
- 23 fatalities (2 Americans included)
- Approximate 60 injured
Related Resources:
- U.S. Government Security Response To Attacks On Its Diplomatic Missions, 1979-2012: How Effective?
- Serial No. 109-4: Urging the EU to Add Hezbollah to its Wide-Ranging List of Terrorist Organizations; and Expressing Condolences and Sympathy to the People of the Kingdom of Spain for the March 11, 2004 Terrorist Attacks in Madrid: Markup before the Subcommittee on Europe and Emerging Threats of the Committee on the International Relations, House of Representatives, One Hundred Ninth Congress, First Session on H. Res. 101 and H. Res. 99, March 8, 2005
- In the Spotlight: Hezbollah (Party of God)
HSDL Featured Topics: Suicide Bombers | Global Terrorism
HSDL Search: US Embassy Beirut
Photo: (Credit: Nancy Wong) US Embassy in Beirut, Lebanon (Christian east side) in September, 1984 after a truck bomb