Thirty-six years ago a tragedy occurred that echoes today. Iran, the world's top sponsor of terrorism, still supports groups that pursue power at the expense of innocent lives. We honor the lives lost in the Beirut barracks bombings as we continue to work for peace in the region. | U.S. Department of State

The echoes of 1983 still resonate: 241 American lives tragically extinguished in the Beirut Marine Barracks bombing, an act carried out by proxies of the Iranian regime. That wasn’t an isolated incident. When you trace the timeline, the pattern becomes chillingly clear, strongly suggesting those same forces were likely involved in the 2000 attack on the USS Cole. We owe it to those who served—and those who fell—to remember the full scope of this history and the long memory required for security.

What Happened in Beirut in 1983? The 1983 #Beirut bombings, which targeted American and French forces, occurred in the midst of the #LebaneseCivilWar and the presence of multinational peacekeeping troops. Four decades later, the truth behind the attacks remains a subject of debate, leaving the families of the victims in search of answers and highlighting the enduring complexity of this traumatic event in the context of a war-torn Lebanon. By Lyne Sammouri | This is Beirut