US citizens traveling abroad are urged to “exercise increased caution” in light of heightened global tensions sparked by the Hamas terrorist attack on Israel and the war taking place between Israel and Hamasthe State Department said in a new advisory Thursday.
“Due to increased tensions in various regions of the world, the potential for terrorist attacks, protests, or violent actions against U.S. citizens and interests, the Department of State advises U.S. citizens abroad to demonstrate of increased caution,” officials said. the “global caution” alert.
The department also asked Americans abroad to “remain vigilant in places frequented by tourists.”
The last time the department issued such a warning was in August 2022, following the counterterrorism attack in Afghanistan that killed al-Qaida leader Ayman al-Zawahiri.
At the time, U.S. officials warned that “supporters of al-Qaeda, or its affiliated terrorist organizations, may seek to attack U.S. facilities, personnel or citizens.”
Separately, the State Department has asked its embassies and consulates around the world to conduct emergency security reviews amid ongoing protests sparked by the fighting, according to sources familiar with the matter and documents reviewed. by ABC News.
Secretary of State Antony Blinken also directed staff to evaluate whether embassies should alert Americans in their respective countries about potential threats posed by the protests, as many have already done.
A number of posts have asked the State Department to change their operations due to security concerns, sources said, but at this point it does not appear that other embassies have requested authorized departures, and so far none have requested a complete evacuation. .
