An urgent alert has been issued to travelers regarding potential threats to hotels in the Middle East by Iran or Iran-backed entities. The US Department of State Consular Affairs is monitoring reports of dangers targeting locations where American citizens congregate in Saudi Arabia. They caution that hotels, as well as other gathering spots like US establishments and educational institutions, could be at risk.
This warning aligns with a previous Worldwide Caution Security Alert issued by the department on March 22, advising increased vigilance for Americans globally. The US Embassy in Riyadh has instructed all US government personnel to stay indoors, urging all American residents in Saudi Arabia to do the same until further updates. The directive emphasizes staying indoors and away from windows whenever feasible.
For US citizens seeking to depart the Middle East, the department offers assistance by providing the latest information on available departure options. While Saudi airspace remains open, there are frequent restrictions on air traffic due to ongoing missile and drone threats. Travelers are advised to verify their flight status directly with airlines due to potential delays and cancellations at Riyadh, Jeddah, and Dammam airports.
In a separate incident, an American journalist named Shelly Kittleson was abducted by an armed group in Baghdad. Iraqi security forces are actively pursuing the perpetrators after the journalist, a US freelance reporter with a presence in the Middle East and Afghanistan, was taken on Tuesday. Efforts are underway to locate the remaining suspects and secure the release of the abducted journalist.
In a similar case, Elizabeth Tsurkov, an Israeli-Russian graduate student from Princeton University, was kidnapped by an Iran-aligned Shia militia group in Iraq in March 2023. She was eventually freed in September 2025 following extensive efforts by Iraqi security services.
