The State Department issued a Worldwide Caution Security alert on Sunday, advising U.S. citizens overseas to exercise increased caution as the Israel-Iran conflict disrupts regional travel and threatens American interests globally.
What Happened: The escalation follows Saturday’s U.S. airstrikes on Iranian nuclear facilities, which President Donald Trump described as having “totally obliterated” key sites.
Ben Gurion Airport remains closed with no scheduled commercial flights operating. The State Department has initiated assisted departure flights for U.S. citizens and permanent residents from Israel, directing travelers to complete crisis intake forms at mytravel.state.gov.
Land crossings to Jordan operate with extended delays, while Egypt’s Taba crossing remains open 24 hours daily.
Iranian airspace closure forces departures through Azerbaijan, Armenia, or Turkey. U.S.-Iranian dual nationals must exit on Iranian passports and face potential questioning at checkpoints, as Iran doesn’t recognize dual citizenship.
Why It Matters: Iran’s parliament voted Sunday to authorize the potential closure of the Strait of Hormuz, the world’s most critical oil shipping chokepoint, handling roughly 20% of global petroleum liquids transit. While largely symbolic, the vote grants Iran’s Supreme National Security Council authority to proceed with the measure.
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi traveled to Moscow for a meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin, accusing Washington of derailing nuclear negotiations. Tehran condemned U.S. actions as crossing “a very big red line” while asserting its right to defend “by all means necessary.”
The Swiss Protecting Power office in Tehran remains closed, leaving Americans in Iran without consular assistance during the crisis.
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