Middle East Crisis: Travel Risk & Security Update

Despite the US-Iran two-week ceasefire, the situation in the region will remain fluid during this period, accompanied by a credible risk of ceasefire violations and resumption of hostilities.

We maintain our current advice for countries in the region, as a precaution, and may ease it in the coming days, if the situation stabilizes and ceasefire holds.

The security situation across the region remains highly dynamic. International SOS advises:

• Defer all inbound travel to Iran until further notice. Foreign nationals and foreign business travellers currently in Iran should depart via available options.
• Defer all inbound travel to Israel and the Palestinian Territories amid heightened regional tensions.
• Defer travel to and transit through Bahrain, Kuwait, Jordan, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) until further notice amid risk of further targeted Iranian retaliatory attacks, and related airspace closures, flight cancellations, and disruption.
• Defer travel to Iraq until further notice due to the risk of further aerial attacks by or against various groups present in Iraq, and related airspace closures, flight cancellations and disruption. Amid current hostilities, those wishing to evacuate from Iraq can travel through the country with the support of a security provider.
• Defer non-essential travel to and transit through Cyprus until further notice amid regional instability and risks of airstrikes.
• Travel to and transit through Egypt can continue with standard security precautions. Nonetheless, continued monitoring of Middle East regional hostilities is advised due to potential spillover risks.
• Defer all travel to Lebanon until further notice amid intensification of Israeli air campaigns, ground operations in the south, and broader regional instability. People in Lebanon should evacuate using commercial options while they are available.
• Travel to Azerbaijan can proceed with increased levels of caution and readiness due to regional hostilities.
• Travel to and transit through Türkiye can continue with standard security precautions.
• Defer all travel to Syria until further notice.
• Defer all travel to Yemen until further notice.

Iran: We advise departing Iran if it is safe to do so and travel options are available.

Israel & Palestinian Territories: We currently advise non-essential workforce in Israel and the Palestinian Territories to depart if feasible. Managers should assess all remaining workforce in-country regarding the requirement to remain in location. Keep in-location workforce limited for essential purposes and consider the departure of non-essential foreign workforce.

Other countries in the region: A full departure or evacuation is not currently assessed as necessary. While countries hosting US and/or Israeli military and diplomatic assets may experience further Iranian retaliatory strikes, these are likely to target specific sites — which we advise avoiding — and the majority of projectiles are assessed to be intercepted. However, the risk of miscalculation or targeting error cannot be ruled out. We strongly advised staying informed of local development and adhere to official directives.

We recognize that risk appetite will vary depending on organisation type, industry, and individual profile. If you or your organisation decide that departure/evacuation is the right course of action, we recommend:

• Follow local official directives
• Avoid US and Israeli military and diplomatic sites
• Wait for commercial aviation options to become available, noting that demand for flights is likely to increase significantly once airspace closures are lifted

The security situation across the region remains highly dynamic. International SOS advises:

• Minimise time spent in the vicinity of US military and diplomatic facilities, as well as Israeli diplomatic missions, across the region as further Iranian strikes are likely to occur in the coming days. 
• Be ready to shelter in place in the event of an aerial attack.
• Follow all official directives and guidance, including any local emergency and evacuation procedures, movement restrictions, curfews and road closures.
• Account for airspace closures and flight cancellations and related disruption across the region.  
• Israeli and US nationals in countries across the Middle East and North Africa should exercise caution and maintain a low profile amid heightened tensions.  
• Remain informed of the latest developments via verified sources, including International SOS alerts, diplomatic missions and local contacts. Do not act on unverified information.  
• Do not post or share unverified information on social media.
• From a healthcare perspective, reconfirm any medical care that is scheduled in the coming days. Check supply of any chronic medications and plan for prescription refill considering potential travel related delays.

Conflict is widely recognized as a major public health threat, disrupting essential services and weakening health systems. It also creates conditions that drive injury, disease and can take a toll on mental health.

Civilians in conflict-affected areas face extreme uncertainty, exposure to violence and loss, all of which substantially increase the risk of anxiety, depression and Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). We recommend managers address the following:

• Prioritise mental health as a core duty of care.
• Communicate clearly, calmly and credibly.
• Build flexibility into people and operations management.
• Access to healthcare and essential support.
• Identify vulnerable groups among your workforce who may be disproportionately impacted.
• Prepare for prolonged, not short‑term, effects.

International SOS provides 24/7 medical and security assistance, real-time travel alerts, evacuation coordination, and access to vetted local resources.

Backed by dedicated personnel on the ground across the region and an extensive network of trusted regional security partners, we are actively supporting evacuations and secure movements across multiple countries. Members can reach our Assistance Centers at any time and stay up to date with our crisis updates and alerts via the Assistance App or Portal.

Subscribe to International SOS alerts for the latest developments across the Middle East. Consult the Assistance App or Portal to access up-to-date travel advisories, security briefings, and emergency guidance.