The Foreign Office has issued a slew of travel warnings to Brits for countries across the Middle East and North Africa as tensions ramp up after strikes on Iran.
Tehran said it fired air defence systems early on Friday (April 19) at an air base and nuclear site near the city of Isfahan to shoot down drones, which are suspected to have been part of an Israeli operation.
Britain’s Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) has updated its travel advice for Lebanon, Libya, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, Jordan, Algeria, Iraq, Egypt, the Occupied Palestinian Territories, Bahrain, Israel, Yemen, the United Arab Emirates, Tunisia, Syria, Qatar, Morocco and Oman.
The FCDO tweeted links to the updates from its official X account, adding that each includes details about explosions in Iran and unconfirmed reports of explosions in Iraq and Syria.
It is advising against all travel to Egypt, Syria, Israel, Yemen, Jordan, Saudi Arabia, Libya, Lebanon, the Occupited Palestinian Territories and parts of Tunisia and parts of Algeria.
Tel Aviv had vowed to respond to Iran’s weekend attack, despite calls for restraint from allies, some of whom – including the UK, US and France – helped Israel repel Tehran’s unprecedented drone and missile barrage.
The onslaught followed Israel’s targeting of an Iranian diplomatic compound in Syria earlier this month.
Israel and Iran have waged a shadow war for decades, but the strike over the weekend was the first direct Iranian military attack on Israeli soil.
Prime Minister Rishi Sunak said in response to today’s strikes: “We have condemned Iran’s reckless and dangerous barrage of missiles against Israel on Saturday, and Israel absolutely has the right to self defence.
“But as I said to (Israeli) Prime Minister (Benjamin) Netanyahu when I spoke to him last week, and more generally, significant escalation is not in anyone’s interest. What we want to see is calm heads prevail across the region.”
The FCDO guidance has advised travellers to monitor its travel advice as well as other media due to the “fast changing” developments in the Middle East.
British nationals in Syria have been advised to leave the country by any means. In Tunisia, Brits are warned to avoid several areas, including the Chaambi Mountains National Park and the designated military operations zones of Mount Salloum, Mount Sammamma and Mount Mghila.
They are also advised not to travel to the militarised zone south of the towns of El Borma and Dhehiba, within 20km of the rest of the Libya border area north of Dhehiba and the town of Ben Guerdane and immediate surrounding area.
The Israeli government has declared a state of emergency across the whole country, leading the FCDO to warn international borders, both air and land, in Israel and the OPTs could close at short notice.
In Algeria, the FCDO has advised against all travel to areas within 30km of the borders with Libya, Mauritania, Mali and Niger and within 30km of the border with Tunisia in the provinces of Illizi and Ouargla and in the Chaambi mountains area.
The FCDO also advises against all but essential travel to within 30km of the remainder of the border with Tunisia.
In another update, the FCDO is advising against all travel to Lebanon and warns if you are currently in the country to leave now while commercial options remain available.
There is also a warning about airports in the UAE, including Dubai, facing severe disruption after extreme weather. The FCDO urges you to check with your airline before travelling.
The FCDO has also warned your travel insurance could be invalidated if you travel against its advice.
