Suspect Captured after Attack at U.S. Embassy in Beirut

Right now a gunman is in custody after a shootout at the US Embassy in Lebanon.

Lebanese soldiers say that they shot and captured the suspect about half an hour after it began. The embassy is located in Aukar, which is located just outside of the city center. Those military members engaged with the gunman early this morning. An embassy security guard was injured during the shootout. (00:22) Investigators are working to determine a motive for the attack. There's been an ongoing conflict between Hezbollah and Israel in the backdrop of the War of Gaza. Yesterday, a high ranking official said Israel is ready to launch a major offensive at its Northern border with Lebanon.

Let's bring in CBS News Foreign Correspondent, Imtiaz Tyab. Now he's following all of this for us from Tel Aviv. Imtiaz, what more are we learning about the attack, who was behind it, and what the motivation may have been?

Harold, Lana, good to be with you. Well, what we do know is that a Syria national is in the hospital right now after he was shot in that shootout. Lebanese forces still investigating what sounds like a really alarming situation at the US Embassy just outside of Beirut, in a Beirut suburb. I've been to this embassy, and I could tell you it is a very heavily fortified place. In order to get anywhere near the main building, you have to go through several checkpoints, several searches. And so, it is a very, very secure area. Still, the fact that the shootout took place and lasted as long as it did is really begging a lot of questions. Now, in terms of motive, there's no clear motive at this stage, as investigators still try to understand what happened outside that very secure embassy. Guys.

Well, Imtiaz, let's talk about the Israel component, because prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu says that Israel is prepared to take strong action in the North as the military is ramping up its presence along the country's border with Lebanon. What can you tell us about that?

Yeah, pretty much since the beginning of the war in Gaza, there has been rhetoric here in Israel saying just that. But the timing of this statement from Mr. Netanyahu, I think is bringing a lot of alarm bells in capitals around the world, and not least in Washington. And the reason there's a concern there is that we know that there is this Israeli proposal to end the war in Gaza, which could see a ceasefire. And the concern is, is if that happens and the hostages are released, that the Israeli Prime Minister will turn his attention to the North of the border. (02:26) You have to remember, again, since October 7th, 60,000 Israelis have been displaced from Northern Israel as Hezbollah, which is an Iranian backed armed and political faction in Lebanon, exchange nearly daily fire with Israel. In fact, villages along the border in Southern Lebanon have been reduced to ruins. About 150,000 Lebanese are also displaced from their homes. It is an extremely volatile border in an extremely volatile situation. And very quickly, if Israel were to engage into an overt war with Hezbollah, it would be very different from what we see in Gaza. Hezbollah has an arms arsenal that is far greater than Hamas could ever dream of, and Hezbollah, which has a hardened fighting force after years of fighting in Syria. So this is very alarming if it does happen. Guys.

And Imtiaz, I want to ask you about a domestic topic. I know that Israeli police have been deployed ahead of today's Jerusalem Day flag march. Speak to us about some of the preparations amid what's growing tensions there.

Yeah, very tense. In fact, we were in Jerusalem in the old city as that march started. And I have to be honest with you, it was extremely hostile. Although there's around 3,000 Israeli border police and police who have been deployed to keep the peace there, that's certainly not what we experienced. Our team was shoved and kicked as we were trying to film outside the Damascus gate in Jerusalem. So as you can imagine, it's a very tense scene there. We also have heard reports of other journalists being very severely beaten by these young men predominantly who take part in this march. A march, which has over the years become a day or a rallying point for far right extremists in Israel to march through the streets of the old city, the Muslim quarter of Jerusalem, where many Palestinians live, chanting phrases like "Death to Arabs" and "We will burn your village." So as you can imagine, it is an extremely tense and extremely fraught time. And for our team, it was a bit of a rough time as well. Guys.

Pretty eye-opening experience. Imtiaz Tyab, thank you very much.