ERBIL, Kurdistan Region - The US embassy in Baghdad on Saturday urged Americans to prepare for flight cancellations, citing “heightened tensions” in the region amid reports of further escalation in the Iran war.
"Due to heightened tensions in the Middle East, the security environment remains complex with the potential for unforeseen escalation," the embassy and its consulate in Erbil said in a joint security alert.
"Americans currently in the Middle East should exercise caution and heightened vigilance and should be prepared for flight cancellations, periodic airspace closures, and potential travel disruptions," added the alert.
Similar alerts were issued by several US missions across the Middle East as Iran carried out fresh attacks on US allies in the region. The warning came hours after American media reported that Washington was preparing another wave of strikes against Iran in the coming days.
The development comes amid renewed escalation in the US-Iran war following a brief lull intended to give peace talks room to progress.
The US and Israel launched a massive aerial campaign against Iran in late February, killing its supreme leader and several senior military commanders. In response, Tehran has targeted US interests and allies across the region. Although the two sides signed a memorandum in June that included a 60-day ceasefire, they have continued to exchange fire, with no sign of de-escalation.
The US has not carried out new attacks since Thursday, when it struck several targets in Iran in response to an attempted missile attack by Tehran on US forces in the Middle East.
"U.S. diplomatic facilities, including outside the Middle East, have been targeted. Iran and groups supportive of Iran may target other U.S. interests overseas or at locations associated with the United States and Americans throughout the world, including U.S. businesses and other institutions," the US alert read.
The US and Saudi Arabia also carried out joint airstrikes against Iran-aligned militias in Iraq, killing more than 20 people and injuring many others. The strikes came in response to two drone attacks on Saudi energy infrastructure that Riyadh blamed on the groups.
