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The United States on Wednesday urged travelers 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 U.S. Embassy in Riyadh said in a Level 3 advisory.
It also cautioned against travel to the border with Yemen, where conflict has recently flared, “due to threat of terrorism.”
The advisory said that, as of Aug. 30, family members may join U.S. government employees working in Saudi Arabia.
U.S. government employees are prohibited from traveling within 20 miles of the Yemeni border because of security risks.
They are also barred from nonessential travel to Qatif and require special authorization 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 U.S. and Iran began on Feb. 28.
The advisory came amid repeated missile and drone attacks on Saudi Arabia and recurring emergency alerts across the kingdom.
The Saudi-led coalition said early Wednesday that Saudi air defenses intercepted and destroyed a drone near the holy city of Mecca that had been launched by Yemen’s Houthi group.
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 drones launched from Iraq targeted the kingdom’s East-West oil pipeline in the Riyadh and Medina 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 U.S.-Iran war began on Feb. 28.
Tehran has launched attacks on what it says are U.S. military interests across the region.
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