September 20, 2026

The United States has issued a security alert for American citizens across several countries in the Middle East amid growing concerns that the conflict involving Saudi Arabia and Yemen’s Houthi rebels could escalate further.

The US State Department issued the warning late Saturday, September 19, advising American citizens currently in the region to exercise extreme caution.

The alert covers Israel, Lebanon, Jordan, Iraq, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Bahrain, Qatar, the United Arab Emirates and Oman.

The State Department warned that travellers should be prepared for sudden disruptions, including flight cancellations, airspace closures and other changes to travel arrangements.

It also urged US citizens to reconsider travelling to the Middle East.

According to the advisory, Iran-backed Houthi forces have carried out attacks on several targets, including civilian airports in Saudi Arabia. The US government warned that the ongoing military conflict could quickly become more serious.

The advisory also said Iran and groups aligned with Tehran could target US citizens, businesses, organisations and other facilities linked to US interests in different parts of the world.

The warning comes as Saudi Arabia is reported to have sought assistance from allied countries to counter Houthi attacks on Yemen’s internationally recognised government forces.

There has also been speculation that the United States could launch further attacks against Houthi positions in Yemen or against Iran. The latest US security alert was issued amid these growing concerns.

Meanwhile, Axios journalist Barak Ravid reported that US President Donald Trump had shortened his stay at Camp David and returned to the White House a day earlier than planned.