Middle East Crisis: Travel Risk & Security Update

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, Iraq, Kuwait, Jordan, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) until 13 March amid risk of further targeted Iranian retaliatory attacks, and related airspace closures, flight cancellations, and disruption.
• Defer non-essential travel to and transit through Cyprus until further notice amid regional instability and risks of airstrikes.
• Defer non-essential travel to Egypt until further notice amid regional instability, risks of airstrikes. 
• Defer all travel to Lebanon until further notice amid the intensification of Israeli air campaigns, ground operations in the south, and broader regional instability.
• Travel to Azerbaijan can proceed with increased levels of caution and readiness due to regional hostilities.
• Travel to 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: Non-essential workforce should liaise with management to consider departure. Managers should assess remaining in-country personnel and limit presence to essential purposes only. 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 in the coming days.
• If in the vicinity of US (and, where present, Israeli) military and diplomatic sites, confirm shelter-in-place procedures.
• Closely monitor regional developments via verified sources, including International SOS alerts and forecasts, diplomatic missions, and local contacts.
• Follow all official directives and guidance, including local emergency and evacuation procedures, movement restrictions, curfews, and road closures.
• Account for airspace closures, flight cancellations, and related disruption across the region.
• Israeli and US nationals across the Middle East and North Africa should exercise caution and maintain a low profile amid heightened tensions.
• Do not act on, post, or share unverified information on social media.
• From a healthcare perspective, reconfirm any scheduled medical care in the coming days, check your supply of chronic medications, and plan for prescription refills considering potential travel-related delays.

Israel / Palestinian Territories

• Non-essential workforce should depart Israel and the Palestinian Territories if feasible. Defer all travel to these areas until further notice.
• Shelter in place if you are in immediate proximity to ongoing air raids or hear an air raid siren. Prepare to move as soon as feasible and permitted by local authorities.
• Due to the high risk of air raids during transit and the possibility of prolonged airspace closures, stay close to designated shelters and be prepared for changes to flight availability.
• Expect heightened security measures and follow all official directives, including emergency and evacuation procedures, movement restrictions, curfews, and road closures.
• Follow advice and instructions from emergency services and civil authorities in the event of rocket fire. For further guidance, download the Israel Home Front Command mobile app (note: access from outside Israel may not be possible).
• Ensure access to verified, timely information to enable swift decision-making. The situation remains fluid and can escalate at short notice.
• Monitor our Israel alerts for the latest updates.

Bahrain and Israel are the only countries in the region with sirens or early‑warning systems for incoming attacks; others rely upon the robust and resilient interception systems located throughout the region. Regarding government shelters, only Israel and Bahrain have dedicated locations of this nature.

Due to the lack of alarming systems, people will likely first become aware of an attack at the moment of impact in a local area. If this occurs, it is unsafe to move to another location while this is ongoing. Instead, immediate actions should be:

• If outside, enter the nearest building or lie in the lowest available ground.
• Lie face down, cover your head with your arms.
• Do not attempt to move to hard cover if you are likely to put yourself in more danger.
• Allow for an adequate period from the last impact before considering moving toa safer location (approx. 5 mins).

If it is safe to do so, consider the following steps to ensure your safety when under a localized drone/missile incident:

• Seek shelter, ideally underground (basements, subway tunnels) or to the lowest part of a building.
• Stay near solid walls without windows, but don’t lean on them – ideally try and have 2 walls separating you from the external wall of any buildings.
• Use plastic sheeting and tape on windows.
• Turn off electricity and gas.
• Cover skin with non-flammable material.
• Close eyes to avoid debris.
• Avoid spending significant time in locations near military or government locations or any location that the Iranian government would consider a legitimate target.

• Authorities will advise evacuation or sheltering in place.  Monitor and follow the advice of the local authorities.
• If you have a gas mask available, you should put it on as soon as you suspect there may be a toxic gas, even if you are indoors
• Minimise exposure – shelter indoors, “seal” the space”. Stay indoors with windows closed and turn off air-conditioning systems.
• If exposed to toxic gases, gas masks provide some protection (N-95 respirators do not). If a gas mask is not available – cover mouth / eyes / nose with cloth / clothing / handkerchief. Move as quickly as possible to fresh air. Do not rub your eyes or face.
• Decontaminate - If external contamination may have occurred – that is, materials have gotten on your skin – take action as soon as possible. Remove the clothing you were wearing. Since it may be contaminated, seal it in a plastic bag. Shower in warm water, washing thoroughly with soap. Do not scrub.
• If contamination may have occurred - that is, you may have inhaled or ingested material, or suspect it entered your skin, or if you have any symptoms (such as difficulty breathing, burning sensation of the mouth, nose or eyes, nausea, vomiting) seek medical attention.
• Food and water safety - Do not ingest food or water that may be contaminated

Stable iodine is only useful in situations where radioactive iodine is present, and only protects against thyroid cancer, which is a greater risk in children and young adults. It does NOT protect against other radioactive elements and does not protect the rest of the body. Additionally, it may not completely block radioactive iodine absorption.

Local emergency response plans normally include stockpiling and distributing stable iodine. If iodine is required, health authorities will advise who should take it. An individual's health status, as well as their exposure risk / location, should be considered before taking the product. You should only take potassium iodide pills if instructed to by public health authorities. Products which contain iodine should NOT be taken as an alternative to potassium iodide pills. Iodized table salt, and other products that contain some iodine will not provide protection and should not be consumed in larger-than-normal quantities.

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.

Drawing on our Assistance Centre in Dubai and established presence across the Middle East, our Security and Intelligence experts will provide a timely update on the current environment and will share real-time insights and operational perspectives from the ground.

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Drawing on our Assistance Centre in Dubai and established presence across the Middle East, our Security and Intelligence experts will provide a timely update on the current environment and will share real-time insights and operational perspectives from the ground.

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As military exchanges and regional tensions continue to evolve, our security and intelligence experts provided a timely update on the current operating environment and emerging escalation indicators.

Drawing on our Assistance Centre in Dubai and established presence across the Middle East, we shared real-time insights and operational perspectives from the ground.

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Following confirmed U.S. military action against Iran, our security and intelligence experts provided an urgent briefing on the evolving situation, including potential retaliation risks, regional stability outlook, and global implications for organizations. The session outlines immediate considerations for protecting personnel, operations, and travel.

Watch On-Demand