The Middle Eastern country of Jemal is in a state of revolution as rebel forces try to take over. The United States is not officially involved in the conflict, but is secretly supplying weapons to the Jemali army to fight the rebels. As tensions escalate, Marine Colonel Halloran is assigned to be the assistant defense attaché to the United States ambassador there. A small group of Marines from Camp Pendleton, California, led by Gunnery Sergeant Jack “Gunny” Burns, accompanies Halloran. When the Marines arrive at the embassy, an anti-American demonstration is underway and the American flag is being burned. Burns goes to the docks to oversee the unloading of a weapons shipment, but as the convoy moves through town, rebels with machine guns ambush the trucks. They kill the convoy drivers and steal the truck carrying the weapons. Burns chases in a Jeep, firing repeatedly at the truck, but is unable to stop it. Ambassador Virgil Morgan chastises Burns for getting involved, reminding him that the Americans are there as observers. Colonel Halloran defends Burns, saying he was never given specific orders not to get involved and that he developed his military instincts while deployed in Vietnam. Ambassador Morgan says Burns must learn to curb his instincts. Burns meets with photojournalist Elli Bowman, whose photographs of the Jemali revolution have brought worldwide sympathy to the rebel cause. Elli photographed the ambush, saying she was invited to be there, but refuses to name the people who informed her. Burns advises her to tell her “terrorist friends” not to get the United States mad. The next morning as Colonel Halloran leaves for the office, he and his driver, Sergeant Manuel Ramirez, are ambushed and taken prisoner by the rebels. Elli photographs Ramirez and Halloran holding up that day’s newspaper to prove the rebels have them. Elli says she welcomes any chance to expose Americans for what they really are. Later, acting as a messenger, Elli goes to see Ambassador Morgan, presenting him with a list of demands from the rebels. She says she is not a member of the revolution, just their media source. Jemali minister of finance Amin meets with Pablo Gavril, an international terrorist who is aiding the Jemali revolution. Amin, a wealthy man with homes throughout Europe, has funded the rebels in the past. Gavril promises the Americans will be gone soon and then Amin will have Jemal for himself. Colonel Halloran is forced to watch while rebels torture Sergeant Ramirez. Pablo Gavril tells Halloran he can save Ramirez by signing a confession that he brought in weapons to suppress the Jemali people. When he refuses, the rebels drill a hole through Halloran’s left hand with a power drill, but he still refuses to sign. When they begin to use the drill on Ramirez’s leg, the young sergeant agrees to sign. However, once his hands are untied, Ramirez grabs the power drill and kills one of the rebels. The others kill him with machine guns, then throw his body on the street in front of the U.S. embassy. Furious over Ramirez’s murder, Burns breaks into Elli’s hotel room, demanding to know where Colonel Halloran is being held. She says the Americans learned nothing in Vietnam and should go home as this is not their war. Burns replies, “It is now.” Later, a civilian comes to the American embassy with one of Ramirez’s medals, found on the street outside the tenement where he was being held. The civilian draws a map for Burns who sends soldiers to storm the building. The Americans and the rebels shoot it out, but the rebels escape with Halloran. A young rebel named Hamed drives an ambulance filled with explosives through the embassy gates and crashes into the building. The building is engulfed in flames and many are killed or wounded. Ambassador Morgan orders the immediate evacuation of all Americans in Jemal. Burns sends his men to the airport to assist with the evacuation, while he goes to meet an informant promising to tell him who ordered the suicide mission on the embassy. The informant turns out to be a member of Mossad, the Israeli intelligence organization, which has been tracking Pablo Gavril and his partner, Maude Winter, for some time. The Israelis say Halloran is being held in an abandoned ministry in the mountains. As Burns and the Israelis plan an assault, Corporal James and Private Ruggieri return from the airport, to report that all Americans but them have been evacuated. Rather than leave, the young enlisted men stayed behind to help. Meanwhile Gavril and the rebels grow suspicious of Elli’s loyalties and throw her in a prison cell with Halloran. The Americans and Israelis sneak up on the ministry, knock out the guards and plant explosives around the compound perimeter. As the assault begins, many rebels are killed. The soldiers get inside and free Halloran, while Private Ruggieri throws himself on a grenade to protect Burns. Pablo Gavril and Maude Winters escape in a truck, but Burns gives chase, driving off a cliff and landing his Jeep on top of their truck to stop them. Elli, who turns out to be a Mossad agent, goes with the Israeli soldiers while Halloran, Burns and James leave, proud to have defended their country.