The State Department issued a Worldwide Caution security alert on Saturday afternoon “due to heightened tensions” in the Middle East after the United States and Iran exchanged increasingly heavy fire throughout the week over control of the Strait of Hormuz.
“The security environment remains complex with the potential for unforeseen escalation,” the announcement said. “We remind Americans in the region of the continued need for caution and encourage them to monitor the news for breaking developments. The Department of State advises Americans worldwide, especially in the Middle East, to exercise increased caution.”
“U.S. diplomatic facilities, including outside the Middle East, have been targeted,” the announcement also said. “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 was released hours after the U.S. Central Command announced two U.S. service members had been killed in Jordan on Friday in an Iranian ballistic missile and drone attack. The U.S. struck Iran seven nights in a row this week after a fragile peace agreement unraveled earlier in the month.
TWO US SERVICE MEMBERS KILLED IN JORDAN AFTER BREAKDOWN OF IRAN CEASEFIRE
The department last issued a Worldwide Caution advisory on March 22, about a month after fighting broke out between the two countries. Saturday’s announcement also warned of potential “flight cancellations and periodic airspace closures.”
Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei said on Saturday the U.S. would face “unforgettable consequences” if it continued attacking Iran. President Donald Trump said on Wednesday he is open to wiping out the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps and has threatened throughout the conflict to escalate military operations, such as by ordering a ground invasion of Kharg Island.