As the Israel-Hamas war rages in the territory of Gaza, the U.S. State Department also just raised its travel advisory for Lebanon to the highest possible level amid another "unpredictable security situation" from militant group Hezbollah along Israel's northern border with the country.
Now at the Level Four "Do Not Travel" level, the advisory warns of the "unpredictable security situation related to rocket, missile, and artillery exchanges between Israel and Hezbollah or other armed militant factions" as well as the difficulty of guaranteeing "protection of U.S. citizens against sudden outbreaks of violence."
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After an Oct. 7 attack from fundamentalist group Hamas left more than 1,000 people dead and pushed Israel to declare a state of war, the State Department also updated its "do not travel" advisory for Gaza and raised it to Level Three "reconsider travel" for Israeli territory amid ongoing efforts to evacuate U.S. citizens from the area.
Here are some of the other countries on the State Department's 'do not travel' list
"On Oct. 14, the Department authorized the departure of family members of U.S. government personnel and some non-emergency personnel on a case-by-case basis from U.S. Embassy Jerusalem and U.S. Branch Office Tel Aviv due to the unpredictable security situation in Israel," the government agency said in its updated memo on the unfolding situation.
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But amid the escalating crisis in the Middle East, approximately 10% of the 195 countries in the world are on the State Department's "Do Not Travel" list for varying reasons. After Russian troops broke into Ukraine in February 2022, both countries have been under the highest level of advisory for U.S. citizens amid the risk of being caught in the fighting in the former and "harassment and the singling out of U.S. citizens for detention" and "arbitrary enforcement of local law" in Russia.
Other countries with a longstanding Level Four advisory include those with which the U.S. has a lack of diplomatic relations. North Korea and Iran are on there due to the risks of "arbitrary arrest and detention" and the government's inability to provide help and consular services to citizens in the country.
Countries with recent wars in the U.S., such as Afghanistan and Iraq, as well as those with unstable military situations and attempted coups such as Niger are also under a "do not travel" advisory.
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Along with wars, the risk of crime and gang violence could also land certain parts of a country under the highest level of security advisory. While many popular tourist areas are simply under "exercise increased caution," states such as Michoacan and Sinaloa are under "do not travel" amid the prevalence of criminal organizations operating in the area.
In May 2023, the State Department also raised its level for Jamaica and Colombia from "exercise increased caution" to "reconsider travel" over similar concerns around rising crime. Jamaica, in particular, remains a popular tourist destination despite the advisory.
"Violent crimes, such as home invasions, armed robberies, sexual assaults, and homicides, are common," the State Department said in a memo on its decision. "Sexual assaults occur frequently, including at all-inclusive resorts."
