Foreign Office updates 'do not travel list' concerning 21 countries
The UK government is looking at 'potential scenarios' for evacuation following missile strikes on Iran
The UK Foreign Office has updated its 'do not travel list' following the US and Israel launching military strikes across Iran.
By now, you're probably aware that Donald Trump's decision to join forces with Israel's Benjamin Netanyahu and launch a wide-scale military attack across Iran has pretty much destabilised the entire Middle East.
Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei was killed in an airstrike at his compound in Tehran, while the Red Crescent reports that at least 550 more people have been killed across the country.
Iran has responded by firing missiles at Israel and US military bases across the region, causing disruption in Qatar, Kuwait, Bahrain, Saudi Arabia and everyone's favourite tourist hotspot, Dubai.
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Video footage has shown debris from intercepted drones landing on residential buildings, hotels and international airports while the region's airspace remains closed.
What is the latest Foreign Office advice for travel to the Middle East?
Yesterday (1 March), the FCDO updated its travel guidelines to reflect the unfolding conflict, with British nationals in the six countries urged to register their presence in order to receive direct updates and guidance.
These countries are:
- Bahrain
- Israel
- Kuwait
- United Arab Emirates
- Qatar
- Palestine
Travel advice has been updated for several countries, with guidance currently warning against all travel and/or all but essential travel to the above six countries as well as: Iran, Iraq, Oman, Jordan, Pakistan, Lebanon, Jordan, Syria, Egypt, Afghanistan, Yemen, Turkmenistan, Armenia and Azerbaijan.
Meanwhile, Saudi Arabia and Turkey have issued warnings against all but essential travel to certain regions.
Around 300,000 British nationals are currently believed to be in the Middle East at the moment, either as tourists or expats.
What is the guidance for British nationals in this region?
The overwhelming majority of British nationals in the Middle East are currently in Dubai, the capital of the United Arab Emirates.
Current guidance for those in Dubai and the wider UAE is to shelter in place - which means remaining indoors, avoiding travel and following local instructions - as well as registering their presence.
According to the BBC, Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper said there are an estimated 300,000 British citizens in Gulf countries, with a total of 102,000 having since registered their presence with the UK government.
Further guidance on what to do should the situation escalate is listed on the FCDO's 'If you're affected by a crisis abroad' page.
Are airports in the Middle East currently open?
As of 2 March, airports have been closed in Iran, Iraq, Kuwait, Israel, Bahrain and Qatar, while air travel has been strictly limited in the UAE.
FlightRadar reports that airports in Abu Dhabi and Dubai temporarily opened for a small number of departures earlier today. There are also restrictions on commercial flights in some regions of Saudi Arabia and Jordan.
Meanwhile, the BBC is reporting that the UK Government is currently exploring 'potential scenarios' for evacuation should the conflict continue, and a Downing Street spokesperson said they 'are looking at all options', including using commercial, charter, military flights, and buses to get Britons across the Saudi and Turkish borders (via The Guardian).
Cooper told Sky News that the government is 'working on every possible option' and teams have been deployed to Gulf countries to assist British citizens there.
"Of course, we want people to get safely home as swiftly as possible," she said.
Topics: World News, UK News
Brenna Cooper