The State Department issued a Worldwide Caution security alert Saturday afternoon as the United States and Iran exchanged increasingly heavy fire throughout the week over control of the Strait of Hormuz.
Two U.S. service members were killed in Jordan on Friday in an Iranian ballistic missile and drone attack.
The announcement warned Americans worldwide, especially in the Middle East, to exercise increased caution.
“The security environment remains complex with the potential for unforeseen escalation. We remind Americans in the region of the continued need for caution and encourage them to monitor the news for breaking developments.”
U.S. Central Command announced Saturday night it had completed another round of strikes meant to degrade Iran’s capacity to launch missile and drone attacks at commercial ships transiting the Strait of Hormuz.
The strikes also targeted Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps forces responsible for the service members’ deaths.
“CENTCOM forces successfully hit Iranian military coastal surveillance and air defense facilities, maritime capabilities, and missile and drone storage sites to continue degrading Iranian military capabilities,” the statement said.
The U.S. struck Iran for the eighth night in a row this week after a fragile peace agreement unraveled earlier in the month.
The State Department’s announcement also warned that “U.S. diplomatic facilities, including outside the Middle East, have been targeted.”
Groups supportive of Iran may target other U.S. interests overseas or locations associated with the United States and Americans throughout the world, according to the alert.
Saturday’s announcement also warned of potential flight cancellations and periodic airspace closures.
Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei said on Saturday the U.S. would face “unforgettable consequences” if it continued attacking Iran.
President Donald Trump said on Wednesday he is open to wiping out the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps and has threatened throughout the conflict to escalate military operations, including by ordering a ground invasion of Kharg Island.
The department last issued a Worldwide Caution advisory on March 22, about a month after fighting broke out between the two countries.
Worldwide Caution: Due to heightened tensions in the Middle East, the security environment remains complex with the potential for unforeseen escalation. We remind Americans in the region of the continued need for caution and encourage them to monitor the news for breaking… pic.twitter.com/A3LKEQSRiO
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