State Department warns US citizens abroad of Iranian terror threat

The U.S. warns Americans worldwide of potential Iran-linked threats.

By World Israel News Staff

The U.S. State Department issued an unprecedented warning Sunday to Americans abroad, urging all U.S. nationals outside the country to “exercise increased caution” amid concerns that Iran may seek to harm Americans worldwide.

“Groups supportive of Iran may target other U.S. interests overseas or locations associated with the United States and/or Americans throughout the world,” the statement said, which was published as a “worldwide caution” notice.

“Americans abroad should follow the guidance in security alerts issued by the nearest U.S. embassy or consulate,” the statement added.

“Periodic airspace closures may cause travel disruptions. U.S. diplomatic facilities, including outside the Middle East, have been targeted.”

The warning follows the outbreak of Operation Epic Fury, after which the U.S. issued an unusual advisory urging Americans present in more than a dozen Middle Eastern countries — including Israel, Iran, the United Arab Emirates, and Saudi Arabia — to immediately depart the region due to significant safety risks.

In the days that followed, tens of thousands of Americans scrambled to secure flights out of the region, as missile and drone attacks from Iran triggered the largest disruption to air travel since the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020.

While the most recent State Department statement did not detail specific threats, security experts say the current environment is uniquely challenging for Americans overseas.

“The dangers are real but varied: physical danger in or near active conflict zones, social hostility ranging from cold receptions and hostile body language to confrontations about U.S. policy,” Matthew Carvalho, a regional security manager for the travel security firm Healix International, told the New York Post.

“The combination of an active U.S. war with Iran, sweeping anti-American sentiment driven by US foreign policy, and a volatile global security environment makes this one of the more consequential moments for American overseas travel in years,” he added.