look news india
Amidst the deepening security crisis in the strategic and oil-rich region of West Asia, the United States has issued a high-level and serious security advisory with immediate effect for its citizens traveling to and living in Saudi Arabia. The US Department of State has issued a strict warning to the entire Saudi Arabia at Level-3 ‘Reconsider Travel’. The official warning comes as Iran-backed Houthi rebels operating in Yemen continue to fire explosive drones, cruise missiles and ballistic rockets at Saudi Arabia’s sovereign borders, strategic infrastructure and civilian installations. Washington believes that escalating military tensions in the Red Sea and the Arabian Peninsula have sharply increased the unprecedented risk of attacks on American citizens, commercial assets, and diplomatic missions in the Gulf region.
This new document released by US security officials makes it clear that in recent weeks there has been a sharp increase in the frequency of cross-border airstrikes by Houthi fighters. Just a few days ago, a dangerous suicide drone moving towards a sensitive area located just south of the holy city of Mecca in Saudi Arabia was intercepted and destroyed in the air by the Saudi Royal Air Defense System in quick action. This serious incident has proved that rebel groups are not limited to border posts only, but they are daring to attack Saudi Arabia’s western provinces, densely populated metropolitan centers and close to holy sites. Although commercial aircraft operations at Saudi Arabia’s major international airports have not yet been completely halted, the sudden activation of air defense systems and missile interception operations are causing widespread flight delays, diversions and serious operational disruptions.
While Level-3 advisory has been implemented for most parts of Saudi Arabia, Washington has issued its highest and strictest Level-4 ‘Do Not Travel’ warning for all sensitive areas along the international border with Yemen. Armed rebel groups operating along the border with Yemen continue to indiscriminately bombard border posts, civilian settlements and highways with rockets and short-range missiles without any prior warning, posing an immediate mortal threat to the lives of any civilian or foreign traveler present in these areas. The US State Department has given clear instructions that no American citizen should take the risk of going to these border provinces because in the event of an emergency, it will not be possible for the US Embassy to provide immediate diplomatic or security assistance there.
The US government has imposed a blanket ban on all official diplomats, consular officials and government employees within 20 miles (about 32 kilometers) of the border with Yemen, significantly tightening security protocols. Apart from this, it has also been made mandatory for US government personnel to obtain special and prior official permission from the Chief of Mission Security to travel to sensitive and strategically important provinces of Saudi Arabia such as Qatif, Jizan, Asir and Najran. Incidents of cross-border artillery shelling and downing of suicide drones have been coming to light in these areas for a long time, due to which the security agencies are in no mood to show any kind of lapse or laxity.
In the new security advisory of the US State Department, citizens have been warned not only about missile attacks, but also about possible attacks by various violent groups and terrorist organizations. According to US intelligence agencies, international and domestic airports, oil refineries, huge power plants, pipeline terminals, military bases, luxury hotels frequented by Western citizens, public transportation networks, and densely populated commercial markets located within Saudi Arabia may be primary targets of terrorist and rebel elements. In view of the possibility of any unexpected attack on these strategic and civilian targets, the US government has instructed citizens to completely avoid visiting such public places unnecessarily and keep their activities minimal and cautious.
Additionally, the U.S. Embassy in Riyadh and the Consulates in Jeddah and Dhahran advised citizens to continuously monitor local news, remain active on emergency alerts, and have a plan in place to seek immediate shelter in a bunker or secure concrete structures in case of an emergency. If any suspicious light, explosion or sound of an interceptor missile is heard in the sky, the guidelines have been repeated to immediately stay away from the windows and lie down on the ground. The increasing military conflict between Iran, Yemen and the Gulf countries in West Asia has made it clear that the security equations in Saudi Arabia have now reached a very sensitive point and international travelers need to exercise utmost caution.