Thousands of people have died in the humanitarian crisis unfolding in the Middle East. The conflict involving Israel, Gaza, Lebanon and Iran threatens to engulf the region. The missile attack by Iran on Israel has already caused widespread disruption to flights – and has raised concerns for tourists planning to visit destinations in the Gulf.
These are the key warnings made by the UK Foreign Office for the Gulf region, and individual advice for Qatar, Oman and the UAE (including Dubai) from the US State Department and the Government of Canada.
The Independent has also assessed current flight plans in and out of major airports, sampling typical routings for overnight flights from the UK arriving in the Gulf area on Friday 4 October. Key flights are tracking south of the conflict zones, typically adding 30 minutes to journey times in either direction – or an hour for round-trips – and jeopardising connections at hub airports.
Regional advice from the UK Foreign Office: “Ongoing hostilities between Israel and Lebanon could escalate quickly and pose risks for the wider region.
“Terrorist attacks cannot be ruled out. Attacks could be indiscriminate including in places visited by foreigners.
“Terrorists have threatened to carry out attacks in the Gulf region, including on residential compounds; military, oil, transport and aviation interests; public places, including restaurants, hotels, beaches, shopping centres and places of worship.
“Military activity is currently under way in response to attempts by Houthi militants to prevent movement of international shipping in the Red Sea. While the area of activity is limited to the Red Sea and Yemen, there is a possibility that Travel Advice for nearby countries could change at short notice.
Qatar
Government of Canada advice: “Conflicts in the Middle East and the Gulf region could affect Qatar. Regional tensions can flare up at any time, resulting in an unpredictable and volatile security situation.
“There is a constant terrorist threat throughout the Arabian Peninsula. Reports of planned terrorist attacks occasionally emerge. Terrorists are likely to try to carry out attacks in Qatar.”
US State Department advice: “In light of current events in the region, we recommend that you review conditions at your destination prior to travelling. You may also…
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