On September 20, 1984, a suicide bomber drove a car packed with explosives into the U.S. embassy annex in East Beirut, Lebanon. The explosion killed more than twenty people, including U.S. and Lebanese staff. It was one of several attacks on American and Western targets during the Lebanese Civil War. The bombing underscored the risks faced by U.S. diplomatic personnel in conflict zones. It also influenced later security measures and the design of U.S. embassies worldwide.
