Travelers to hot spot sternly warned by State Department as officials deny wider Gulf shutdown

Americans traveling in and through the Middle East have a new wrinkle to sort out.The U.S.State Department has pushed back against circulating reports that it directed nonessential government personnel and their dependents to leave the entire Gulf region, clarifying that the departure order applies only to Saudi Arabia.State Department spokesperson Tommy Pigott dismissed the broader regional claims, calling them "inaccurate" after the department released a formal statement confirming the targeted drawdown within the kingdom. "The U.S.

Department of State issued an ordered departure for non-emergency U.S.government employees and their family members in Saudi Arabia," the department said. AMERICANS WARNED AGAINST TRAVEL PLANS AS TERRORISM THREATENS POPULAR DESTINATIONThe clarification arrived amid an uptick in militant strikes aimed at key regional transit hubs. In the statement shared with Fox News Digital, the spokesperson noted that "Iranian-supported Houthis have increasingly engaged in hostilities against Saudi Arabia, including attacks on civilian airports and other critical infrastructure resulting in civilian casualties and severe travel disruptions."The U.S.

State Department emphasized that the safety and security of its staff and their households in Saudi Arabia, pictured here, remain its highest priority after travelers to the region are cautioned.  (iStock)Officials warned the security environment remains highly volatile, adding the conflict "has the potential to escalate rapidly, including beyond that immediate area."The department emphasized that the safety and security of its staff and its households remain its highest priority. US STATE DEPARTMENT WARNS AMERICANS OF GROWING SECURITY RISKS IN HISTORIC REGIONThe United States "will continue to take all necessary steps to protect and support them as they return to the U.S.," the spokesperson said.The current security environment remains highly volatile.In late September, the State Department renewe...