As coronavirus infections continue to decline and tourism expected to pick up steam in the coming months, the National Security Council on Monday advised tourists against travel to the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and other countries across the region, citing the threat of attack by Iran.
The warning included both Dubai and Abu Dhabi in the Gulf state as well as Bahrain. Both Arab countries established diplomatic ties with Israel last year under historic U.S.-brokered agreements.
"We estimate that Iran will continue to operate in the near future to harm Israeli targets," the council's anti-terrorism office said in a statement.
In the advisory, the council said that Iranian officials had threatened to attack Israeli targets over the last few months, adding that the Islamic Republic had already conducted a bombing attack near the Israeli embassy in India in January.
"Officials in India have determined that Iran was behind the bombing," the statement said.
It identified Georgia, Azerbaijan, Abu Dhabi, Dubai, Bahrain, the Kurdish region of Iraq, as well as Turkey, Jordan and Egypt as areas to avoid.
After establishing ties with Israel last year, the UAE became a popular destination for Israeli tourists, even after a similar travel advisory was issued.
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Indian security forces near the site of the bombing near the Israeli embassy in New Delhi
(Photo: AP)
The statement also warned against international Jihadist organizations, particularly Islamic State, that "continue to demonstrate motivation to execute attacks in various nations, including those visited by Israelis."
"The central regions where these organizations operate are the Sahel, especially Mali and Burkina Faso, Central Africa, particularly in northern Nigeria and its neighboring countries."
The council also issued travel warnings to several Asian countries, including Malaysia, Indonesia, the Kashmir region in India and the southern Philippines.