The United States has updated travel advisories for 13 countries across the Middle East, citing the risk of further attacks by Yemen’s Houthis and alleged Iranian efforts to target American officials in the region. The revisions come alongside reductions in staffing at several US embassies amid concerns over a wider escalation.
The advisories, dated 23 October, cover Bahrain, Iran, Iraq, Israel, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Syria, the United Arab Emirates and Yemen. The updates revise the security warnings rather than raise the countries’ existing advisory levels.
"The possibility of regional effects, including the potential for flight disruptions, makes a region-wide advisory update important and prudent," a State Department official said in comments shared by PBS correspondent Nick Schifrin.
The department said the revisions reflected increased potential for armed attacks by the Iran-backed Houthis and Iranian efforts to target US government officials. Those claims come amid renewed fighting between the Houthis and a Saudi-led coalition, including missile and drone attacks on Saudi territory.
Advisories by country, and what they mean:
Eight countries are listed at Level 3, meaning Americans should reconsider travel, while five remain at Level 4 — "do not travel", the State Department’s highest warning. The country-specific warnings are:
- Bahrain: Level 3 — Reconsider travel. The advisory lists terrorism and other security risks.
- Iran: Level 4 — Do not travel. Washington cites unrest, kidnapping or hostage-taking, terrorism, wrongful detention and other risks.
- Iraq: Level 4 — Do not travel. The advisory lists unrest, crime, health risks, kidnapping or hostage-taking, terrorism and other risks.
- Israel: Level 3 — Reconsider travel. The advisory lists terrorism and unrest.
- Jordan: Level 3 — Reconsider travel. The advisory lists terrorism and other security risks.
- Kuwait: Level 3 — Reconsider travel. Washington cites crime and other risks.
- Lebanon: Level 4 — Do not travel. The advisory lists unrest, crime, kidnapping or hostage-taking, terrorism and other risks.
- Oman: Level 3 — Reconsider travel. The advisory lists terrorism and other security risks.
- Qatar: Level 3 — Reconsider travel. The advisory lists “other” risks, rather than a separate terrorism, crime or unrest indicator.
- Saudi Arabia: Level 3 — Reconsider travel. The advisory lists terrorism and other security risks. The update follows Houthi attacks on Saudi airports, including the 10 October strikes on Riyadh’s King Khalid International Airport.
- Syria: Level 4 — Do not travel. Washington cites unrest, crime, kidnapping or hostage-taking, terrorism and other risks.
- United Arab Emirates: Level 3 — Reconsider travel. The advisory lists terrorism and other security risks.
- Yemen: Level 4 — Do not travel. The advisory lists unrest, crime, health risks, kidnapping or hostage-taking, terrorism and other risks.
US authorities have urged Americans to monitor embassy alerts and airline operations, prepare for possible flight cancellations or airspace closures, and maintain emergency departure plans that do not depend on US government assistance. They also recommend enrolling in the Smart Traveler Enrollment Program to receive security updates.
The warnings follow Friday’s reports that Washington was reducing staffing at its embassies in Jordan, Lebanon, Qatar and the UAE. Axios first reported an intelligence memo alleging that Iranian plots against American personnel had reached "advanced stages"; the Associated Press subsequently obtained the memo and confirmed the staffing reductions with US officials.
Those four embassies remain open under restricted operations, and personnel are not subject to the same compulsory departure order issued on Wednesday for non-essential US staff and their families in Saudi Arabia.
US officials have denied that the staffing changes are linked to prospective new US or Israeli strikes on Iran. The advisory updates themselves do not establish that another military operation is imminent, although the move comes amid mounting US and Israeli threats of renewed attacks on Iran, with US ambassador to Turkey Tom Barrack warning that Washington could "absolutely" strike Iran before the upcoming US midterm elections.