WASHINGTON — US citizens abroad are advised “to exercise increased caution,” the US State Department said in a new bulletin Thursday, as the intensifying war between Israel and Hamas has sparked protests and fears of hate crimes worldwide.
The rare "Worldwide Caution Security Alert" cited “increased tensions in various locations around the world, the potential for terrorist attacks, [and] demonstrations or violent actions against US citizens and interests.”
The bulletin warned that Americans overseas should stay alert, enroll in its Smart Traveler Enrollment Program for security updates and follow the State Department on social media.
The last time the State Department issued a worldwide caution to US citizens was in August 2022 following the killing of al-Qaeda leader Ayman al-Zawahiri, warning that the group's supporters could target Americans.
