The United States has issued a global travel alert to American citizens amid escalating tensions with Iran.
The U.S. State Department issued an alert to U.S. citizens around the world on Sunday, asking them to exercise caution. The alert warns of possible periodic airspace closures, travel disruptions and asks Americans overseas to comply with security alerts issued by their local U.S. embassy or consulate. “The U.S. Department of State advises Americans around the world, especially in the Middle East, to exercise increased caution. Americans overseas should follow the guidance in the security alert issued by the nearest U.S. embassy or consulate. Periodic airspace closures may cause travel disruptions. U.S. diplomatic facilities, including outside the Middle East, are being targeted. Pro-Iran groups may target other U.S. interests abroad or locations associated with the United States and/or Americans around the world,” the alert said.The travel alert was issued after Finance Minister Scott Bessant suggested the war might not end soon. Bessant told NBC’s “Meet the Press” that the United States has enough money to fund the war. Bessant said sometimes you have to escalate a situation before you can deescalate it. Earlier in the day, Trump issued an ultimatum to Iran’s leadership, requiring them to open the Strait of Hormuz within 48 hours or a U.S. military strike would hit and destroy all their power plants, starting with the largest ones.Bessant defended Trump’s threat, saying it was “the only language Iranians understand.”Earlier on Sunday, a spokesman for Iran’s military command headquarters warned that Iran would retaliate in kind if the United States attacks oil infrastructure. “If Iran’s fuel and energy infrastructure is attacked, then the fuel, energy, information technology systems and desalination infrastructure used by the United States and regimes in the region will also be attacked,” Colonel Ibrahim Zolfakari said, according to Iran’s state news agency IRNA.This is not the first time the State Department has issued a global alert to American citizens since the war broke out. Following the U.S. and Israeli attacks on Iran, the U.S. State Department announced on February 28: “Following U.S. combat operations in Iran, Americans around the world, particularly in the Middle East, should follow the guidance in the latest security alert issued by the nearest U.S. embassy or consulate.” “The State Department advises Americans around the world to be more cautious.“
