The US State Department has issued an urgent warning to American citizens across the Middle East, urging them to prepare for possible large-scale disruption to air travel.
The warning said travellers should be ready for flight cancellations and the closure of airspace in several countries as military tensions and exchanges of strikes intensify across the region.
US embassies were also advised to take precautionary measures to protect American citizens amid growing risks to civilian aviation and regional transport networks.
The warning came as US President Donald Trump said he was close to deciding whether to launch a major new military operation against Iran.
In remarks to Axios, Trump said American forces were fully prepared and that he was seriously considering a wider attack than previous US operations against Tehran.
He claimed Iranian officials wanted negotiations but were not yet prepared to reach an agreement because they had “not felt enough pain”.
Trump also said Israel could join any attacks within minutes if requested by Washington. However, he added that the United States did not currently need Israeli participation and warned that direct Israeli involvement could have major regional consequences.
The latest statements and travel warning have increased concerns over further escalation and possible disruption to civilian flights across the Middle East.
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