Is It Safe to Travel to the Middle East Right Now? Country-by-Country Risk Guide (July 2026)

The ceasefire this guide was originally built around has collapsed, and the Middle East is now in its most volatile stretch since the conflict began in February 2026.

Iran struck five Gulf states in mid-July, the Strait of Hormuz is effectively shut to shipping, and US service members have been killed in Jordan and Iraq. Here is the current risk level, country by country, as of 20 July 2026.

What the renewed strikes mean for travellers

Travel advisories have hardened rather than eased. The US and UK still warn against all travel to Iran, Iraq, Lebanon, Syria and Yemen, and EASA now advises airlines to avoid the airspace of the UAE, Bahrain, Kuwait and Qatar entirely, a bulletin currently valid through 29 July 2026.

High risk: countries on “Do Not Travel” lists

Iran, Iraq, Gaza and parts of the West Bank, Lebanon, Syria and Yemen all carry Level 4 “Do Not Travel” advisories from the US, and the UK advises against all travel to each.

None of these have eased since the June update — if anything, the July escalation has hardened the case for staying away, and consular help on the ground remains minimal.

Iran

There are no viable tourist routings into Iran, and every major government maintains a Level 4 Do Not Travel advisory.

Iran remains at the centre of the conflict, with the US and Iran having exchanged further rounds of strikes in July.

Iraq

Iraq remains at Level 4 Do Not Travel, and EASA continues to advise airlines against flying in Iraqi airspace at any altitude.

Carriers including Royal Jordanian and Aegean Airlines have kept their Baghdad and Erbil services suspended, following a fatal strike on a US service member in Iraq in mid-July.

Israel and the Palestinian Territories

Israel itself sits at US Level 3 Reconsider Travel, but Gaza and parts of the West Bank remain Level 4 Do Not Travel, and the UK warns of possible disruption at Ben Gurion Airport.

Ben Gurion Airport‘s Terminal 1 is back in international use, with Lufthansa, SWISS and ITA Airways operating, though parking congestion from US military refuelling aircraft based at the airport is expected to strain capacity through peak August travel weeks.

Lebanon

Lebanon remains under Do Not Travel advisories from both the US and UK, though Beirut’s Rafic Hariri International Airport stays open.

Ceasefire compliance under the Israel-Lebanon-US framework has deteriorated sharply since early July, and short-notice flight cancellations remain common.

Syria

Syria remains at Level 4, and EASA’s advisory against flying in Damascus airspace at any altitude has been extended through 31 October 2026.

Damascus and Aleppo airports are running limited commercial services, but US, UK and Canadian carriers remain barred from Syrian airspace entirely.

Yemen

Yemen has no functional civil aviation for leisure travellers regardless, and the Level 4 Do Not Travel designation stands.

Yemen’s separate civil war has flared up alongside the Gulf-Iran crisis, and the long-standing truce between the Saudi-led coalition and the Houthis is now at its most fragile point in four years, following mid-July strikes on Sanaa and Abha airports.

Elevated risk: Gulf states hit by the renewed strikes

The US State Department keeps Bahrain, Kuwait, Qatar, the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Oman, Jordan and Israel at Level 3 Reconsider Travel, and EASA advises airlines to avoid the UAE, Bahrain, Kuwait and Qatar entirely through 29 July.

Airports across the Gulf have largely stayed open despite direct Iranian strikes on every state except Oman in mid-July.

United Arab Emirates

Dubai and Abu Dhabi airports remain fully operational, with Emirates, flydubai, Etihad and Air Arabia running scheduled flights.

EASA’s current bulletin advises operators to avoid UAE airspace at any altitude through 29 July, and GPS jamming has caused a run of delays and a handful of cancellations across Dubai, Abu Dhabi and Sharjah; several Western carriers have pushed their Gulf suspensions into August, September and October.

Qatar

Hamad International Airport remains open despite the mid-July Iranian strike near Doha, though EASA advises avoiding Doha’s airspace entirely.

A separate strike on the Ras Laffan LNG facility is expected to cut Qatar’s export capacity by roughly 17 percent for several years.

Saudi Arabia

The Jeddah and Riyadh hubs remain the region’s busiest bypass corridor and continue normal long-haul and Umrah traffic.

Four airports in southern Saudi Arabia — Abha, Jizan, Najran and Sharurah — were briefly closed in July after Houthi missile and drone attacks linked to the separate Yemen conflict, distinct from the Gulf strikes further north.

Oman

Muscat International Airport continues operating without interruption, and its airspace remains the most reliable Gulf bypass route alongside the Jeddah corridor.

Oman is the one Gulf state Iran did not target directly in the mid-July wave, though a US radar installation elsewhere in the country was struck.

Bahrain

Bahrain International Airport remains open despite a run of delays and cancellations, and the US Embassy sharpened its security alert for the country on 20 July.

Bahrain has come under repeated Iranian fire, including missile barrages intercepted by air-defence systems, since June.

Kuwait

Kuwait International Airport had a turbulent reopening. Terminal 1 reopened on 1 June 2026 after a months-long closure, but on 3 June an Iranian drone strike hit the passenger terminal — killing one person and wounding dozens — and flights were suspended.

As of 5 June, Terminal 1 remains closed. Kuwait Airways is operating from Terminal 4 and Jazeera Airways from Terminal 5, but most international carriers have not yet returned. Confirm your terminal and flight status with your airline before travelling — our Kuwait airport status guide tracks which terminal each carrier is using.

Jordan

Amman’s airport continues operating and Jordan sits at US Level 3 Reconsider Travel, though the US Embassy has reported a threat-driven evacuation of Aqaba’s airport and seaport, which Jordanian officials dispute.

Jordan is no longer among the calmer options in the region, following mid-July Iranian strikes that killed two US service members and left a third missing.

Lower risk: Egypt and North Africa

Egypt, Morocco and Tunisia remain outside the conflict entirely, and none of the July escalation has changed that.

Tourist infrastructure across all three continues operating normally.

Egypt — Level 2 (Exercise Increased Caution)

Egypt is still the only major regional destination at Level 2 Exercise Increased Caution, and Cairo remains one of the region’s most reliable hubs.

Popular zones — Sharm el-Sheikh, Hurghada, Luxor and Aswan — remain fully open and heavily policed; avoid North Sinai and the Libya and Sudan border regions. You can compare flights to Cairo or hotels in Cairo on Wego.

Morocco and Tunisia — Low risk for tourism

Morocco and Tunisia sit outside the US Do Not Travel group entirely and continue running normal tourism services. Casablanca, Marrakech and Tunis are fully operational.

The FCDO asks UK tourists in Morocco and Tunisia to stay alert near demonstrations and avoid Tunisia’s Chaambi Mountains area, which carries a long-standing terrorism designation unrelated to the Iran crisis.

Practical advice before you fly

Run through this checklist before booking or departing, whether you’re flying to Dubai, Jeddah or Cairo.

• Check your home government’s advisory the day you fly — US travellers at travel.state.gov, UK at gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice
• Confirm your flight is operating — schedules are changing with little notice across the Gulf, Iraq, Lebanon and Syria; check directly with your airline before departure
• Verify your travel insurance is still valid — travelling against an official Do Not Travel warning typically voids cover
• Register with your embassy — US citizens via STEP, UK nationals via GOV.UK registration links where applicable
• Expect higher fares — war-risk insurance and fuel surcharges have climbed sharply since the Strait of Hormuz closure and are likely to persist
• Have a backup exit plan — airspace can close without notice; Cairo and Muscat remain the most reliable alternate hubs, and Amman’s own status has grown less certain since mid-July

Frequently Asked Questions

Is it safe to fly to Dubai right now?

Flights to Dubai are operating and the airport is open. EASA now advises airlines to avoid UAE airspace entirely through 29 July following the mid-July strikes on five Gulf states, so expect possible GPS-related delays and reroutes, and check your specific flight before travelling.

Is the ceasefire still holding?

No. The ceasefire signed in June broke down in early July, Iran and the US have exchanged fresh rounds of strikes since, and the Strait of Hormuz has been declared closed to shipping.

Which Middle East country is currently safest for tourism?

Egypt, Morocco and Tunisia are all at US Level 2 Exercise Increased Caution and none were affected by the July strikes. Oman is the steadiest option if you specifically need to be in the Gulf.

Will my travel insurance cover me?

Most standard travel insurance is voided if you travel against your home government’s Do Not Travel advice. Check your specific policy wording and consider specialist war-risk cover if you’re travelling to any Level 3 or Level 4 destination.

Can I still perform Umrah?

Yes — Saudi Arabia is still processing Umrah pilgrims, and long-haul flights to Jeddah and Riyadh continue operating normally. Four airports in southern Saudi Arabia closed briefly in July after Houthi strikes linked to the Yemen conflict, so confirm your specific routing before departure.

Sources

1. US State Department — Travel Advisories
2. UK FCDO — Foreign Travel Advice
3. EASA — Conflict Zone Information Bulletin, Persian Gulf and Gulf of Oman
4. Al Jazeera — Iran Attacks Five Gulf Nations, Shuts Hormuz, 12 July 2026
5. Al Jazeera — Gulf States Come Under Iranian Fire as US Strikes Intensify, 17 July 2026
6. The Washington Post — Iran Declares Strait of Hormuz Closed After US Strikes
7. NPR — US Fires on Iran After Deadly Attack in Jordan
8. Axios — Two US Troops Killed in Iranian Missile Attack on Jordan
9. Euronews — Qatar’s Air Defence Intercepts Fresh Iranian Missile Barrage Over Doha
10. Al Jazeera — Yemen Government Says Its Forces Attacked Sanaa Airport
11. FDD — Riyadh Strikes Houthi-Controlled Airport to Block Flight From Iran
12. The Times of Israel — EU Aviation Agency Urges Avoiding Iran, Iraq, Lebanon Airspaces Until 31 August
13. The National — US Issues Fresh Travel Warning as Kuwait and Bahrain Flights Resume After Disruptions
14. OPSGROUP — Middle East Airspace: Current Operational Picture
15. US State Department — Smart Traveler Enrollment Program (STEP)

Disclaimer: Wego strives to ensure all information presented in this article is accurate and up to date at the time of publication. Travel policies, prices, visa requirements, and conditions can change rapidly. We strongly recommend verifying critical details with official sources before making travel decisions. Wego does not accept liability for any inaccuracies, oversights, or changes that may occur after publication.