CNN 9:40 am
Barbara Starr CNN Pentagon reporter, says plans are being made to evacuate Americans, but keep in mind, all 25,000 Americans won't want to leave. Starr says if American soldiers go in to Lebanon, they will want to be "in and out" as quickly as possible.
Starr clarifies, the State Dept is in charge of an operation like this. The Ambassador on the ground makes the decision to remove Embassy employees, and the State Dept requests the Pentagon to make plans to extricate citizens. She makes clear, the Pentagon acts at the request of the State Dept. The plan right now is to remove American citizens to Cypress and put them on civilian planes for home.
"The team has arrived in Lebanon to plan the evacuation of Americans", according to CNN news crawl.
AP breaking. US Embassy in Beirut, Helicopter Rescue Assessment Teams have landed in Beirut to figure out how to get Americans out. Anchor adds, Univ of Beirut where many American students are, is right on the beach.