The State Department’s Saudi Warning Goes Well Beyond Missiles

The State Department issued a Level 3 Reconsider Travel advisory for Saudi Arabia on October 12, with the area near the Yemen border carrying the stricter Level 4 Do Not Travel designation. It cites regional conflict, terrorism, missile and drone attacks, and, notably, exit bans and strict laws on social media activity.

The conflict risk is concrete. Reports say Houthi attacks on Saudi airports have killed at least 14 people, including an American, and the U.S. Mission issued a separate October 10 alert urging Americans to avoid King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh and the surrounding area. Commercial flights are still operating, though disruptions have occurred.

The legal warnings are just as pointed. The advisory says some U.S. citizens have been arrested over past posts, reposts or likes seen as critical of the Saudi government, even when shared from outside the country. It also warns that breaking Saudi law, even unintentionally, can lead to deportation, fines, imprisonment or an exit ban, and that Americans have been detained for photographing or sharing information about interceptions or impact sites.

Travelers who still plan to go are told to stay alert, follow local news and have a plan to leave in an emergency that does not depend on U.S. government assistance. Check your airline’s current schedule to the kingdom before booking, since several carriers have been adjusting service.

Sources: Fox News, U.S. Embassy in Saudi Arabia