The Foreign Office has issued an urgent travel warning today for anyone journeying to 18 countries, including popular holiday destinations. Those who have travelled to places such as Egypt, Morocco, Dubai, Cyprus and Turkey are advised to exercise extra caution.
In a critical update, UK government officials have alerted travellers heading to Cyprus, Turkey, Egypt, Morocco, Tunisia, Algeria, United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Bahrain, Oman, Kuwait, The Occupied Palestinian Territories, Israel, Libya, Iran, Lebanon, and Syria. Following the Israeli attacks on Iran today, the Foreign Office advises travellers to be aware of the potential for a regional escalation in violence.
The Foreign Office further warns: “Your travel insurance could be invalidated if you travel against advice from the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO).”
Officials also noted: “Ongoing hostilities in the region and between Israel and Lebanon could escalate quickly and pose risks for the wider region. On 1 October, Iran launched around 200 ballistic missiles at Israel. On 26 October, Israel carried out military action against Iran.”
“Monitor this travel advice and other media as the situation is changing fast. Follow and contact FCDO travel on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram. You can also get email notifications when this travel advice is updated. Read FCDO advice if you’re affected by a crisis abroad.”, reports the Liverpool Echo.
The FCDO has also released a separate alert for Turkey, following a terrorist attack that claimed several lives. The statement reads: “On 23 October there was a terrorist attack on Turkish Aerospace Industries’ facility in Kahramankazan, 40km northwest of central Ankara, which resulted in 5 deaths and 22 injuries, as well as the deaths of the two assailants.”
It adds: “While the incident has ended, the response is ongoing, including increased security measures at Turkish airports, which means security checks will take longer than normal. If you are in the area near the attack, follow the advice of the local authorities and monitor local media.”
Separately, Israel launched a series of pre-dawn airstrikes on Iran, in response to the country’s earlier ballistic missile attacks on Israel.
The Israeli military confirmed that its aircraft targeted facilities used by Iran to manufacture missiles, as well as surface-to-air missile sites. Although explosions were heard in Tehran, Iran reported only “limited damage”, with state-run media downplaying the severity of the attacks.
However, these strikes could potentially escalate the situation between the arch-rivals, pushing them closer to a full-blown war. This comes at a time when violence is escalating across the Middle East, with Iran-backed militant groups, including Hamas in Gaza and Hezbollah in Lebanon, already engaged in conflict with Israel.
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