
The UK has issued a warning against all travel to Israel following an escalation in military activity between Israel and Iran.
The Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office updated its travel advice for Israel and the Occupied Palestinian Territories after both countries launched missile strikes in recent days. Israel’s airspace remains closed following the exchanges.
The advisory describes a “fast-moving situation that poses significant risks” and warns that “the situation has the potential to deteriorate further, quickly and without warning.”
British nationals currently in Israel or the Occupied Territories have been instructed to follow guidance from local authorities.
The FCDO’s updated notice specifically references risks of regional escalation. Previous guidance had advised against travel to “parts of Israel,” which was then strengthened to warn against “all but essential travel” after a state of emergency was declared on 13 June.
Foreign Secretary David Lammy emphasized on X that “British nationals’ safety remains our top priority.”
The FCDO maintains its advisory against all travel to Iran as well.
British grandfather James Eden, who traveled to Israel on 9 June for a six-day Christian pilgrimage, found himself stranded in Jerusalem. The 72-year-old from Newcastle-upon-Tyne told PA news agency that the FCDO “rang me and said there wasn’t a lot they could do,” explaining they could only “send out alerts and keep track” of British nationals.
Eden said he was considering traveling to Egypt to secure a flight home but noted the FCDO was “not going to help me get out of Egypt either.”
An FCDO spokesperson confirmed they were “in contact with a British man in Israel” and remained “ready to support British nationals 24/7.” They urged any British nationals in the region to “monitor updates to FCDO Travel Advice.”
The FCDO also advises against all travel to parts of Egypt.
The current crisis began when Israel launched attacks on Iran on the night of 12 June, targeting what it described as military infrastructure including nuclear sites. Iran responded with retaliatory airstrikes, leading to an escalation between the two countries.
Iranian missiles struck areas of Bat Yam and Tamra on Saturday night, while the Israeli military reported hitting more than 80 targets in Tehran overnight.
The UK government confirmed over the weekend that it was deploying additional RAF jets to the Middle East, with the chancellor describing this as a “precautionary measure.”
The conflict has also impacted global markets, with oil prices surging on Friday amid concerns that the escalation could disrupt energy supplies from the region.
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