US Issues Worldwide Travel Warning After Iran Strikes

newsweek.com · Mar 1, 2026 · Collected from GDELT

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The U.S. has told Americans across the globe to exercise caution after the United States and Israel struck Iran early on Saturday.Americans "worldwide" should be more careful than usual following the joint strikes and Iran's retaliatory attacks across the Middle East, the U.S. State Department said.The warning applies particularly to U.S. citizens in the Middle East, the government said. More specific advice is issued by specific embassies and consulates across the world.Iran Strikes Hit Dubai, Abu Dhabi AirportsOne person was killed and seven others injured after debris from an intercepted drone damaged Zayed International Airport in Abu Dhabi, Emirati authorities said on Sunday.Four staff members were wounded at Dubai International Airport—a major transit hub—after the terminals were mostly evacuated of travelers and the site sustained "minor damage" in an unspecified incident, officials said. The UAE temporarily closed part of its airspace and banned recreational flights and drone activity.Falling debris sparked a fire at Dubai's Jebel Ali, one of the world's busiest ports, authorities said. A luxury hotel in the city was also damaged.Iran's state-run media confirmed on Sunday the country's longtime Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, and multiple high-profile Iranian officials, including the head of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), had been killed since the start of U.S. and Israeli strikes on Iran from the early hours of Saturday.Iran responded on Saturday with drone and missile attacks on Israel, as well as Bahrain, Kuwait, Qatar, and the United Arab Emirates. These Gulf states have a significant U.S. military footprint, while explosions were also reported in Jordan.The strikes throw stability across the Middle East into serious doubt and came in the midst of U.S.-Iranian negotiations over limits on Tehran's nuclear program. The Iranian reaction has brought U.S.-allied states, which had previously dodged direct involvement in U.S.-Iranian attacks, much further into the fray.The White House had repeatedly warned it could target Iran if the regime's leadership did not agree to a number of agreements and had authorized the largest build-up of U.S. forces in the Middle East since the invasion of Iraq more than 20 years ago....Tehran Denied Nuclear AmbitionsIran had said it did not wish to develop nuclear weapons, although international experts and Western intelligence said it has enriched uranium beyond what is needed for a peaceful nuclear program.The Israeli military said on Sunday it had launched fresh attacks across Iran, including in "the heart of Tehran." Israel said its initial "large-scale" strikes had cleared a path in the sky toward the Iranian capital.Iranian state media reported at least one huge explosion rocking Tehran on Sunday. The blast appeared to come from an area of the city hosting Iran's police headquarters and state media offices, according to The Associated Press.President Donald Trump warned Tehran against following through on its threats to increase its retaliatory strikes. Iran’s parliamentary speaker, Mohammad Bagher Qalibaf, promised "devastating blows" against the U.S. and Israel."THEY BETTER NOT DO THAT, HOWEVER, BECAUSE IF THEY DO, WE WILL HIT THEM WITH A FORCE THAT HAS NEVER BEEN SEEN BEFORE!" Trump said in a post to his Truth Social platform.Hundreds Dead in IranIran's Red Crescent Society said more than 200 people had been killed across the country so far.More than 100 people were killed in an explosion at a girls' school in southern Iran, close to a military base, a local prosecutor said. The U.S. military said it was aware of reports of "civilian harm resulting from ongoing military operations" and was investigating.U.S. media reported that roughly 40 Iranian officials have been confirmed dead since Saturday, while Israeli medical services said a woman had been killed in Tel Aviv after an Iranian attack.Hundreds of thousands of travelers are thought to be stuck in the Middle East, with airlines canceling or diverting many flights across the region. U.S. citizens were widely told to shelter in place and stay indoors and many safety warnings were renewed on Sunday.Travel disruption followed a U.S. attack on multiple Iranian nuclear sites in June 2025, which brought an end to a brief 12-day war between Iran and Israel.Update 4:55 a.m. ET: This article has been updated with additional information.In a polarized era, the center is dismissed as bland. At Newsweek, ours is different: The Courageous Center—it's not "both sides," it's sharp, challenging and alive with ideas. We follow facts, not factions. If that sounds like the kind of journalism you want to see thrive, we need you.When you become a Newsweek Member, you support a mission to keep the center strong and vibrant. Members enjoy: Ad-free browsing, exclusive content and editor conversations. Help keep the center courageous. Join today.