U.S. Warns Americans Across the Middle East
The State Department updated its travel advisories for 13 countries, citing Houthi missile and drone attacks on Saudi Arabia, and is cutting staff at four more embassies, as the intelligence chief warns that Iranian plots against Americans have reached "advanced stages."
The State Department has updated its travel advisories for 13 Middle Eastern countries: Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Iran, Iraq, Jordan, Lebanon, Kuwait, Oman, the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Syria, Yemen and Israel. Five are at the top level, "Do not travel": Iran, Iraq, Lebanon, Syria and Yemen. The other eight, including Saudi Arabia, Israel, Jordan and the UAE, are at "Reconsider travel." For Saudi Arabia, Americans are told to reconsider travel because of the "risk of drone and missile targeting of American interests by Iran and the Iranian-supported Houthis," and not to travel near the Yemen border.
The department is also reducing staff at its embassies in Jordan, Lebanon, Qatar and the UAE. Those embassies stay open, and staff are not being ordered to leave. Nonessential diplomats and their families were already ordered out of Saudi Arabia earlier in the week.
Director of National Intelligence Jay Clayton wrote in a memo to Secretary of State Marco Rubio that "lethal plotting efforts by the Iranians against U.S. citizens have reached advanced stages both in the Middle East and certain other countries." The memo did not name targets or say whether attacks were imminent. A State Department official said the advisories reflect recent Houthi strikes, including on Saudi airports, not new Houthi capabilities.
Washington — The State Department has issued new travel warnings for 13 countries across the Middle East and is pulling back staff at four more embassies, citing missile and drone attacks by Yemen's Houthi movement on Saudi Arabia and threats from Iran.
What the advisories say
The department's advisory list shows all 13 reissued on October 23. Iran, Iraq, Lebanon, Syria and Yemen are at Level 4, "Do not travel." Bahrain, Israel, Jordan, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates are at Level 3, "Reconsider travel." The advisory for Saudi Arabia urges Americans to reconsider travel there because of the "risk of drone and missile targeting of American interests by Iran and the Iranian-supported Houthis," as well as armed conflict and terrorism, and says: "Do not travel to the Yemen border due to terrorism." It warns that Houthi attacks on the kingdom "have the potential to escalate rapidly beyond that immediate area."
A State Department official said the changes were "not indicative of new capabilities from the Houthis, but reflect the strikes we have seen over recent days, including on the airport." The Houthis have attacked airports in Riyadh, Dammam, Najran and Jazan in recent weeks. Saudi Arabia's Civil Aviation Authority said an attack on King Fahd International Airport in Dammam killed two people and injured eight. Riyadh's King Khalid International Airport said it would resume domestic and international flights on October 25.
Fewer diplomats, embassies open
The department said it will reduce staffing at its embassies in Jordan, Lebanon, Qatar and the UAE because of concerns that the Houthis may escalate attacks around the region. The four embassies, already operating with reduced staff, will remain open, and the step is not an order to leave. Earlier in the week, nonessential diplomats and family members were ordered out of Saudi Arabia.
The intelligence warning
In an unclassified memo to Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Director of National Intelligence Jay Clayton wrote that Iran has "substantially increased efforts to target U.S. personnel" and that "the lethal plotting efforts by the Iranians against U.S. citizens have reached advanced stages in both the Middle East and certain other countries." The memo, copied to CIA Director John Ratcliffe, does not identify targets or countries or say whether attacks may be imminent. Clayton said the intelligence community is working to downgrade sensitive intelligence so it can be shared more widely with State Department staff.
The warnings come as President Trump weighs whether to resume strikes on Iran. He has said there would be no strike before the November 3 midterm elections, but told a Florida rally, "We may do another little Epic Fury," using the military's name for the war, if Iran does not "get down to business." Iran's armed forces chief of staff, Ali Abdollahi, said on Iranian state television that U.S. warships would not be allowed in the Persian Gulf "under any circumstances."