The U.S. State Department just dropped a wave of security updates over the weekend. Between March 7 and March 8, 2026, U.S. Embassies issued 13 separate emergency alerts spanning 11 different nations across the Middle East.
If you are currently on the ground in the region, the baseline directive has universally shifted to “shelter-in-place.”
Commercial aviation is severely fractured. In countries where airspace has been completely shut down due to missile threats, the U.S. government is now actively chartering buses and coordinating overland escape routes. In nations where flights are still operating, the State Department has initiated official evacuation flights to Europe.
Here is the exact breakdown of the 13 new security alerts as of today March 8, 2026.
You can check your destination’s live Embassy reports and safety status here
The “No Flight” Zones: Overland Evacuations Active
Commercial airspace is entirely closed in these four nations. Travelers must rely on overland border crossings or U.S. government-assisted ground transport to escape.
- Kuwait: Commercial flights are NOT operating due to active missile and UAV threats. The U.S. Embassy is now offering chartered buses to Saudi Arabia. Critical Note: You must secure a Saudi visa before crossing, and expats on specific visas must secure an automated exit permit before boarding.
- Iraq: Commercial flights are NOT operating. The embassy warns of significant threats from Iran-aligned militias, specifically noting that hotels frequented by foreigners in the Iraqi Kurdistan Region have been targeted. Overland routes to Jordan, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, and Türkiye are currently open but could close without warning. Do not approach the Embassy in Baghdad or the Consulate in Erbil.
- Bahrain: Commercial flights are NOT operating. Overland routes across the King Fahd Causeway to Saudi Arabia remain open.
- Iran: Commercial flights are NOT operating. The Turkish land border is open (requires a 60-day valid passport and advance notice), but Azerbaijan land borders are closed to routine traffic. The State Department has issued a severe warning that dual nationals are at significant risk of arrest.
The “Restricted Flight” Zones: Narrow Escape Windows
Airports in these nations are operating, but under extreme restrictions, limited schedules, or active threat conditions.
- United Arab Emirates: Limited flights are operating, but access to airports in Dubai and Abu Dhabi is now strictly restricted to confirmed ticket holders only. Do not travel to the airport without airline confirmation. Overland routes to Oman and Saudi Arabia are open but experiencing massive congestion. The U.S. Embassy and Consulate are completely closed. The real-time on the ground Traveler Safety Index score is currently sitting at 37 for Dubai.
- Israel / West Bank / Gaza: Following Saturday’s limited inbound-only operations, Ben Gurion Airport has initiated a gradual resumption of outbound flights as of Sunday, March 8 at 8:00 AM via Israir, Arkia, and Air Haifa. The Taba overland border into Egypt remains open 24 hours (carry cash for visa fees). The real-time on the ground Traveler Safety Index score is currently sitting at 26 for Israel.
- Qatar: Limited commercial flights are operating. In a severe warning, the embassy noted potential retaliatory targeting of Americans by Iranian proxies. The real-time on the ground Traveler Safety Index score is currently sitting at 41 for Qatar.
- Lebanon: Middle East Airlines (MEA) continues to operate out of Beirut. The embassy remains closed for routine services but has resumed strictly emergency passport services to help Americans secure travel documents to flee.
State Department Evacuation Flights
For Americans stranded in the region, the U.S. government has officially stepped in to organize air and ground transport out of several key hubs.
- Active Evacuation Hubs: The State Department is currently coordinating flights and assisted departures out of Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Qatar, and Bahrain. U.S. assistance flights to Europe have already begun departing from Abu Dhabi and Dubai.
- Mandatory Action: To access these government-coordinated flights or chartered buses, U.S. citizens must immediately fill out the Crisis Intake Form via the State Department website.
The Outliers: Operating Hubs
Only two major hubs on the weekend alert list are maintaining relatively normal commercial flight operations, though both remain under strict shelter-in-place advisories for citizens who are not actively heading to the airport.
- Jordan: Commercial flights are actively operating out of Queen Alia International Airport. Multiple land border crossings and the ferry service between Aqaba and Egypt are open.
- Saudi Arabia: Commercial flights are operating out of Riyadh, Jeddah, and Dhahran. Saudi airspace remains open with only occasional operational pauses.
- Oman: Commercial flights are operating out of international airports. Notably, U.S. Embassy Muscat is the only embassy on this list that continues to provide both routine and emergency consular services.
Norway Has NOT Been Issued A Security Update
Despite a deliberate explosion striking the consular entrance of the U.S. Embassy in Oslo, Norway, early Sunday morning, the U.S. government has NOT issued an official security alert for the country. Local Norwegian police have launched a massive terrorism investigation into the blast, which occurred around 1:00 a.m. local time and caused minor structural damage but no casualties.
While authorities have deployed bomb squads and are actively exploring potential links to the escalating Middle East conflict, the embassy has yet to formally advise Americans on the ground to alter their travel plans or shelter in place
Your Immediate Next Step: If you are in the region, do not attempt to travel to a closed embassy. Monitor the Home Front Command app (if in Israel) and fill out the State Department’s Crisis Intake Form immediately if you are in a country with active government evacuation flights.
