On 1 August, the US embassies in Jordan, Israel and Iraq issued a warning to US citizens regarding a “potentially unpredictable escalation of the situation” in the Middle East, against a backdrop of rising tensions in the region.
According to a statement published on the diplomatic missions’ websites, “Americans are advised to exercise increased caution and be prepared for flight cancellations, temporary airspace closures and other disruptions to transport services”.
The warning also states that US citizens in the Middle East should consider leaving the region or be prepared to do so in the event of further escalation. For those outside the region, the State Department recommends “seriously reconsidering” plans to travel to or transit through the Middle East.
The US Embassy in Baghdad has separately urged Americans, in the event of an attack, to “immediately seek shelter in a safe place and stay away from debris or falling objects”.
The warning came against the backdrop of escalating tensions between the US and Iran. Following mutual strikes, Tehran announced its intention to target US interests in the region in response to US attacks on Iranian territory.
The situation in the Middle East escalated sharply on 7 October 2023. On that day, Hamas militants carried out a large-scale attack on Israel. The militants launched a massive rocket barrage against Israel, invaded its territory and carried out the largest massacre of civilians in the history of the modern State of Israel, killing around 1,200 people. The militants also took around 250 hostages and transported them to Gaza. Some of the hostages were exchanged or released, whilst the rest were killed.
Israel responded by declaring war on Hamas. During the ground operation and the bombing of the Gaza Strip, around 170,000 people were injured (according to figures from the Ministry of Health, which is controlled by Hamas).
In October 2025, the Israeli authorities and Hamas agreed to a ceasefire in accordance with a peace plan drawn up by the administration of US President Donald Trump. The US, Turkey, Qatar and Egypt acted as guarantors of the agreements. During the first phase, Hamas militants returned all surviving and deceased Israeli hostages in exchange for the release of Palestinian prisoners from Israeli jails.
In mid-January, the White House announced the start of the second phase of Trump’s plan to end hostilities in the Gaza Strip. Under this plan, the second phase was to see the establishment of a Peace Council and a National Committee reporting to it, which would take over the administration of the region until the Palestinian National Authority was ready to assume this responsibility.