US urges travellers to reconsider Saudi Arabia trips over Iranian drone, missile threat

The US on Wednesday urged travellers to reconsider travel to Saudi Arabia, citing the risk of Iranian drone and missile attacks targeting American interests.

“Reconsider travel to Saudi Arabia due to risk of Iranian drone and missile targeting of American interests, armed conflict, terrorism, exit bans,” the US Embassy in Riyadh said in a Level 3 advisory.

It also cautioned against travelling to the border with Yemen, where conflict recently flared, “due to threat of terrorism.”

The advisory said that, as of August 30, family members may join US government employees working in Saudi Arabia.

US government employees are prohibited from travelling within 20 miles (32 kilometres) of the Yemeni border due to security risks.

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They are also barred from non-essential travel to Qatif and require special authorisation to travel to the Jizan, Asir, Najran and Qatif provinces.

The embassy said the threat of Iranian drone and missile attacks has continued since hostilities between the US and Iran began on February 28.

The advisory comes amid repeated missile and drone attacks on Saudi Arabia and recurring emergency alerts across the kingdom.

The Saudi-led coalition said early on Wednesday that Saudi air defences intercepted and destroyed a drone near the holy city of Makkah that had been launched by Yemen’s Houthi group.

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The incident came a day after the coalition said 13 civilians were injured in missile and drone attacks by the Houthis on Khamis Mushait, Abha, and Taif, with seven homes and two vehicles damaged.

Saudi authorities subsequently issued warnings in Abha, Khamis Mushait, Jazan, Jeddah, Taif, Yanbu and AlUla amid heightened security concerns in southwestern Saudi Arabia.

Last week, Saudi authorities said that drones launched from Iraq targeted the kingdom’s East-West oil pipeline in the Riyadh and Madinah regions, causing injuries and damage and prompting a precautionary shutdown of the pipeline.

Saudi Arabia has also been repeatedly targeted by Iranian missiles and drones since the US-Iran war began on February 28. Tehran has launched attacks on what it says are US military interests across the region.