The U.S. State Department on Saturday urged Americans to “seriously reconsider” travel to or through the Middle East, and warned those already in region to exercise heightened vigilance as the security situation could deteriorate rapidly.
The alert cited renewed hostilities between the Iran-backed Houthis in Yemen and Saudi Arabia. “This military conflict has the potential to escalate rapidly,” the State Department said, adding that Americans should be prepared for possible flight cancellations, airspace closures and other travel disruptions.
The advisory came as the Houthis said Saturday that they had launched missiles and drones at sensitive sites in Riyadh, while the Saudi-led coalition said it intercepted a missile fired toward the capital and thwarted additional attacks aimed at other Saudi cities. The State Department noted that the Houthis have targeted Saudi Arabia, including civilian airports.
The State Department also issued a broader warning about threats to American interests overseas, noting that U.S. diplomatic facilities, including sites outside the Middle East, have previously been attacked and that Iran and groups supportive of Tehran “may target” other U.S. interests abroad.
Those potential targets could include Americans, U.S. businesses and other institutions associated with the United States, according to the advisory.
