How harmful is it to be in every Middle East nation? Threat ranges assessed in each nation after conflict broke out in Iran
The Middle East has been plunged into chaos after a joint US and Israeli strike on Iran killed Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei on Saturday.
In the days since, Tehran and its allies have retaliated across the region, targeting Israel, US bases in neighbouring Gulf states, and sites critical to global oil and gas production.
Governments, including the UK’s Foreign Office and the US State Department, have updated travel advice, warning citizens to avoid travel or limit it to essential journeys across large parts of the region.
The US government assigns threat levels used to assess risk range from Level 1, meaning exercise normal precautions, to Level 7, meaning do not travel.
Several countries now fall into the highest categories as the conflict continues.
Iran has said at least 1,230 people have been killed since Saturday, while Israel said 11 people died after a strike on Beit Shemesh.
Meanwhile six American service members have died, while the death toll in Lebanon has reached at least 77 people.
The IRGC has threatened to strike ‘all economic centres’ across the Middle East, raising fears that global financial hubs in the Gulf could be dragged deeper into the escalating conflict.
Bahrain – Level 5
Bahrain has seen a sharp deterioration in security. The FCDO now advises against all but essential travel, warning British nationals to shelter in place.
‘Due to reported missile attacks, British nationals in Bahrain should immediately shelter in place. Remain indoors in a secure location, avoid all travel and follow instructions from the local authorities.’
The US has meanwhile ordered non-emergency personnel and their families to leave the country.
Bahrain’s interior ministry said one of its facilities in an industrial zone housing an oil refinery was attacked on Thursday.
‘One facility in Maameer was targeted, and the relevant authorities are handling the incident,’ the statement said
Iranian state media claimed on Tuesday that strikes destroyed a command and staff building at a US air base in Bahrain’s Sheikh Isa region, with footage appearing to show rockets hitting multiple targets and fuel tanks exploding.
Iran also struck the headquarters of the US Navy’s Fifth Fleet in Manama, damaging or destroying several structures on Saturday.
Satellite imagery showed communications terminals destroyed and extensive damage to buildings.
Amazon said some of its data centres in Bahrain and the United Arab Emirates were also hit by drone strikes.
Should governments do more to protect ordinary people caught in this spiraling Middle East conflict?
Smoke rises from a burning building hit by an Iranian drone strike, after Israel and the U.S. launched strikes on Iran, in Seef district, Manama, Bahrain, February 28, 2026
Egypt – Level 4
Egypt has not been directly involved in the conflict but remains on heightened alert due to its proximity to countries affected.
The FCDO advises against all travel to areas including the Egypt-Libya border and North Sinai, and against all but essential travel to several other areas.
The US advises travellers to ‘excersise increased caution’ due to terrorism, crime and health risks.
In recent remarks, Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi indicated the speed at which the situation is evolving, saying: ‘Two days have seen very large and rapid developments. We were keen to achieve calm and stop the war, though I doubt that will happen.
‘Egypt is part of the region and inevitably affected by what takes place within it.’
Major tourist destinations such as Cairo and Red Sea resorts do not currently carry additional warnings.
Iran – Level 7
Iran is at the centre of the conflict and is now considered one of the most dangerous places in the region.
The FCDO advises against all travel, while the US State Department warns: ‘Do not travel to Iran due to the risk of terrorism, unrest, kidnapping, arbitrary arrest of U.S. citizens, and wrongful detention.’
The country has launched hundreds of drones at Israel and the Gulf states in response to the killing of its leader.
Attacks have continued across Tehran, with loud explosions and fighter jets being heard over Tehran after Israel launched its latest airstrikes in the Iranian capital on Thursday.
The explosions came shortly after the Israeli military said it had begun ‘a large-scale wave of strikes against infrastructure’ in the Iranian capital.
A plume of smoke rises following a U.S.-Israeli military strike in Tehran, Iran, Tuesday, March 3, 2026
Iraq – Level 7
Iraq is also classified at a great danger level. The FCDO advises against all travel due to the escalation in regional conflict, while the US warns:
‘Do not travel to Iraq due to terrorism, kidnapping, armed conflict, civil unrest, and the U.S. government’s limited ability to provide emergency services to U.S. citizens in Iraq.’
And on Thursday, a boat struck an oil tanker flying the flag of the Bahamas in the Iraqi port of Khor al-Zubair, causing an oil spill and damage.
And on Wednesday, Iraqi forces shot down a drone that attempted to attack a US military base near Baghdad International Airport, local media reported.
Meanwhile, Iranian-backed militias have been continuously targeting US forces, including strikes on bases in Erbil.
Explosions were reported around the airport, with satellite imagery showing multiple structures damaged or destroyed and fires continuing to burn.
Israel – Level 6
Israel remains an active war zone. The FCDO advises against all travel, and the US has authorised the departure of non-emergency personnel, urging citizens to reconsider travel due to terrorism and civil unrest.
Iranian missile strikes have killed 11 people, while Hezbollah has launched attacks from Lebanon.
Israel has responded with strikes on Iran, including an attack on the presidential office in Tehran, and has deployed troops into Lebanon to take up new positions against Hezbollah.
Israel‘s Defence Minister Israel Katz threatened on Wednesday to assassinate any Iranian leader picked to succeed supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, who was killed in US-Israeli strikes on Tehran.
In a post on X, Katz said: ‘Any leader selected by the Iranian terror regime to continue leading the plan for Israel’s destruction, threatening the United States, the free world and countries in the region, and suppressing the Iranian people, will be a certain target for assassination, no matter his name or where he hides.’
Rocket trails from an interception by Israel’s Iron Dome missile defence system are pictured over Jerusalem on March 1, 2026
Jordan – Level 6
Jordan has been classed as a place of great danger, with travelers being advised by the FCDO to avoid travel to the area. The US has also urged reconsideration of any travel to the country.
Sirens have been sounding as the country faces both Iranian attacks and falling interception debris.
On Wednesday, an Iraqi militia said it bombed a ‘vital target’ in Jordan, in retaliation for joint US-Israel strikes.
Over the weekend, the Jordanian military said: ‘We dealt with 49 drones and ballistic missiles directed toward Jordanian territory.
On Sunday, the Interior Ministry said 73 incidents involving falling objects and missile debris were recorded across the country
Foreign Ministry spokesperson Fouad Al-Majali said Amman demanded an immediate halt to the attacks and respect for Jordan’s sovereignty and territorial integrity.
Kuwait – Level 5
Kuwait has also come under direct attack and is now considered highly dangerous. The FCDO advises against all but essential travel and instructs British nationals to find shelter.
‘Follow the instructions of the local authorities. If you are advised to take shelter, stay indoors or find the nearest safe building or designated shelter. An interior stairwell or a room with as few external walls or windows as possible may provide additional protection. ‘
An Iranian strike on a military facility killed six American soldiers.
Satellite imagery showed significant structural damage at Ali Al Salem Air Base, while video footage captured a drone detonating within the perimeter of Camp Buehring.
In a separate incident, three US fighter jets were downed in what was described as ‘friendly fire.’ The US Embassy in Kuwait has also been closed until further notice following an attack.
The US has more than 13,000 troops stationed in Kuwait.
And on Thursday morning, a tanker sailing off the coast of Kuwait was rocked by a ‘large explosion.’
Lebanon – Level 7
The conflict has spread to Lebanon, with Israel ordering residents of more than 80 villages in the south of the nation to evacuate as the Iran-backed Hezbollah militant group said it is ready for open war.
The latest exchanges started after Hezbollah fired rockets and drones early Monday towards northern Israel.
Israel retaliated with a wave of airstrikes that killed 52 people in Lebanon, including a Palestinian militant and a Hezbollah intelligence official in Beirut’s southern suburbs.
More than 150 people were wounded, and tens of thousands were displaced.
Smoke rises following an Israeli airstrike in Dahiyeh, Beirut’s southern suburbs, Lebanon, on Tuesday, March 3, 2026
Hezbollah said on Tuesday morning that it fired two salvos of rockets toward northern Israel. At the same time, Beirut’s southern suburbs were subjected to a series of strikes in the early afternoon today that came without warning.
Several Israeli strikes near Lebanon’s capital on Thursday left eight people dead and six injured.
Lebanese media reported the attacks hit a road leading to Beirut-Rafik Hariri International Airport, citing the country’s health ministry.
The Foreign Office currently advises against all travel or all but essential travel to all areas of Lebanon and warns Brits not to ‘have a personal emergency plan that does not rely on the UK government.’
Oman – Level 6
The Foreign Office says on its website that no travel to Oman ‘can be guaranteed safe,’ and warns that an escalation in conflict in the region ‘poses a security risk.’
Advice for Brits in the Omani city of Duqm and the surrounding area calls for them to ‘shelter in place’, and says that any British nationals currently visiting the city of Salalah, or within 100km, ‘should look to leave as soon as possible if commercial means allow.’
It comes after a drone struck Oman’s largest port of Salalah on Tuesday.
The government media office also said two shots were shot down in the southwestern province of Dhofar, but neither attack left any casualties.
The British government plans to offer a chartered flight for British citizens out of Oman ‘in the coming days’, Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper said today.
Palestinian Territories: West Bank (Level 6) & Gaza (Level 7)
Brits are advised not to travel to the Palestinian territories despite a US-negotiated ceasefire being reached in October.
While the truce has halted major military operations, the two year-war, triggered by Hamas’ October 7 2023, attack on Israel, has left much of the territory in ruins.
Israel has continued to strike what it says are militant targets, often killing civilians.
The Foreign Office urges all Brits to register their presence if they are within the Palestinian territories.
Qatar – Level 5
The Foreign Office advises against all but essential travel to Qatar.
On Thursday, Qatar evacuated residents living close to the US embassy in Doha as missiles were intercepted.
Qatar’s air force ‘successfully shot down’ two Iranian fighter jets on Monday as the fallout from the US and Israeli attacks on Iran continued to intensify, while seven ballistic missiles and five drones were also intercepted.
The US State Department ordered the evacuation of non-emergency personnel and family in Qatar on Tuesday after the Islamic regime’s army said its forces were launching attacks on the country’s Al Udeid Air Base, which hosts up to 10,000 troops and serves as the main forward headquarters for US Central Command.
There were no immediate reports of any casualties or damage to the base.
Saudi Arabia – Level 6
The FCDO advises against all but essential travel to Eastern Province and Riyadh Province and advises against all travel to within 10km of Saudi Arabia’s border with Yemen.
‘Due to reports of missile and drone activity in the region, we advise British nationals to stay inside and exercise increased caution in Saudi Arabia,’ the FCDO warns.
On Wednesday, the Aramco facility in Ras Tanura was hit for a second time.
And on Tuesday, Iran struck the US Embassy in Riyadh, causing a ‘limited fire’, according to Saudi Arabia’s Defence Ministry.
The embassy will now remain closed until further notice, and warned of an ‘imminent missile’ attack over Dhahran, an eastern city off the Persian Gulf that is home to an American consulate and the state oil producer Saudi Aramco.
The embassy also advised US citizens in Dhahran not go outside and to shelter in place.
Syria – Level 7
The Foreign Office currently advises against all travel to Syria due to ‘unpredictable security conditions and the threat of terrorist attacks.’
While Syria and Iran were once deemed strong allies, the collapse of the Bashar al-Assad regime in Syria in December 2024 has left the two nations in a state of opposition.
Syria has condemned the ‘brutal attacks’ from Iran on Arab countries.
Four people were killed and several others wounded on Saturday when an Iranian missile struck a building in the southern Syrian city of Sweida.
Other missile debris fell in the city of Quneitra and the Yarmouk Basin in Daraa province in southern Syria.
UAE – Level 5
Brits have begun leaving the UAE after becoming stranded when most commercial flights across the Middle East were suspended over the weekend.
Many have told of their ‘terrifying ordeals’ after becoming trapped in the region when Iran began retaliatory strikes on tourist and expat hotspots, including Dubai and Abu Dhabi.
The Foreign Office has advised against all but essential travel to the UAE after Iranian missiles rained down on the country, causing fear and chaos in a place that until Saturday was predictably calm.
Officials tried to reassure residents and visitors that the country’s ai defense system was among the best in the world, blasting down drones and missiles.
On Thursday, the UAE announced a ballistic missile and six drones fell in the country after Tehran fired a barrage of 131 drones.
In Abu Dhabi, six people were injured today as a result of falling debris when drones were intercepted by air defence systems.
Over the weekend, while officials said they intercepted all air attacks on Saturday, debris from the knocked-down weapons sparked blazes at some of Dubai’s most iconic locations.
Debris from Iranian drones struck some of Dubai’s most iconic locations. Pictured: Flames outside the Palm Jumeirah hotel
Social media videos and photos showed a fire outside the Fairmont Hotel on the prestigious man-made Palm Jumeirah island, flames licking at the facade of the famous Burj Al Arab hotel, and smoke rose into the sky near the Burj Khalifa skyscraper.
Yemen – Level 7
The Foreign Office says: ‘FCDO advises against all travel to the whole of the Yemen due to the unpredictable security conditions.
‘If you’re in Yemen, you should leave immediately.’
British Embassy services in Yemen are suspended, and all diplomatic and consular staff have been withdrawn.
The Foreign Office adds that the UK government cannot help British nationals leaving Yemen and that there are no evacuation procedures in place.
The country has been the subject of a severe and ongoing humanitarian and political crisis due to a long-running civil war.
Following the escalation of the conflict on Saturday, Yemen’s Houthi militants have expressed solidarity with Iran.
