By Aldgra Fredly
Contributing Writer
The U.S. State Department has updated its travel advisories for 13 Middle Eastern nations to include warnings about potential armed attacks by the Iran-backed Houthis as well as Iranian efforts to target U.S. government officials in the region.
The existing advisory levels for all 13 nations were maintained.
Iran, Iraq, Lebanon, Syria and Yemen are listed under a Level 4 alert, the highest travel advisory level, which advises citizens not to travel to those countries.
Eight other nations — Bahrain, Israel, Jordan, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates — are placed under Level 3, which advises citizens to reconsider travel.
The department warned that Houthi terrorists based in Yemen have engaged in hostilities against Saudi Arabia, targeting civilian airports and other critical infrastructure across the country, which resulted in civilian casualties and major travel disruptions.
The department warned that Houthi attacks could “escalate rapidly beyond” Saudi Arabia and that Washington could not provide emergency services to U.S. citizens in some of the countries due to security risks.
In its travel advisory for Saudi Arabia, the department warned citizens about the risk of Iranian and Houthi drone and missile attacks targeting U.S. interests. It also warned about armed conflict, terrorism, exit bans and local laws governing social media activity in the country.
“Attacks have impacted cities, infrastructure, airports, military bases, diplomatic and energy facilities throughout the country,” it stated. It also warned that U.S. citizens living near energy infrastructure and military bases could face higher risks, especially in areas closer to the Yemen border.
The alert said the United States has ordered non-emergency government employees and their family members to leave Saudi Arabia because of safety risks.
It also said U.S. government employees must obtain special authorization to use any airport in Saudi Arabia and are barred from traveling within 20 miles of the Yemen border.
“U.S. citizens should be aware of potential attacks on airports, airspace closures, flight cancellations, and travel disruptions. Please take extreme caution if you choose to use airports in Saudi Arabia,” the U.S. Embassy in Riyadh said in a Sunday statement.
The travel advisory for Yemen warned of the country’s ongoing civil war, as the Houthis continue to clash with Yemeni government forces. It also advised citizens to prepare an emergency plan for leaving Yemen that does not depend on U.S. assistance.
The Houthis on Monday claimed to have attacked Saudi Arabia’s East-West crude oil pumping stations and King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh. Saudi authorities have not made any statement about the alleged attacks.
The Saudi General Authority of Civil Aviation said two people were killed and eight others were injured following an attack targeting King Fahd International Airport in Dammam on Oct. 21.
The regulator said damage assessments and safety checks were ongoing, while airport operations had resumed and air traffic returned to normal.
The Houthis said the attacks on Saudi Arabia were a response to the country’s support for government forces in Yemen’s reignited civil war. Saudi Arabia has expressed support for Yemen’s U.N.-recognized government organizing an offensive aimed at reclaiming Houthi-held territory.
The Saudi coalition said on Monday that it carried out a military operation against Houthi targets in Yemen, destroying five tunnels used to store ballistic missiles, four ballistic missile launchers, and a missile storage facility.
Reuters contributed to this report.
