by Mia Taylor
Last updated: 4:00 PM ET, Wed March 4, 2026
The list of countries Americans are being advised to avoid now includes the European island destination of Cyprus.
Earlier this week the State Department urged Americans to depart more than one dozen Middle East countries, amid what it called “serious safety risks.” The alerts come as the U.S. and Israel proceed with bombing Iran.
The State Department also issued a Worldwide
Caution over the weekend following the joint military strikes on Iran.
Now, Cyprus, which is about 40 miles south of Turkey, and 60 miles west of Syria, has been added to the list of of countries Americans are being advised to avoid.
The advisory indicates that there have been no changes in risk factors in the country, but it nevertheless says Americans should “Reconsider travel to Cyprus due to the threat of armed conflict and limited U.S. embassy assistance for Americans in the Turkish Cypriot Administered area."
The advisory also authorizes non-emergency U.S.government employees and U.S. government employee family members to leave Cyprus due to the safety risks.
Cyprus is a popular Mediterranean island known for its beaches and historical sites. About 4 million tourists visited Cyprus in 2024.
The United States and Israel bombed Iran on February 28 and since then there has been significant disruption in the region. That has included a drone striking a building in Cyprus that was located on the British Sovereign Base Area.
Travelers who proceed with travel to Cyprus are encouraged to sign up for the State Department’s Smart Traveler Enrollment Program, which allows U.S. citizens and nationals to enroll their trip abroad so the Department of State can accurately and quickly contact them in case of emergency.
In addition to the travel advisories impacting potential movement throughout the region, airlines and flights have been dealing with the fallout of the conflict. Many have had to significantly scale back flights due to the closure of regional airports. That in turn, is driving up the cost of flights in the region.
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