National Security Council warns Iran has Israeli travelers in its sights

Israel’s National Security Council on Monday advised tourists against travel to the United Arab Emirates and other countries across the region, citing an increased likelihood of an Iranian or Iran-sponsored terrorist attack against Israelis overseas.

The NSC reported increased motivation on the part of Iran and its regional proxies to harm Israelis abroad, and has issued a special travel advisory for those planning on vacationing in Sinai.

The report cited as a motivating factor last year’s assassination of a top Iranian nuclear scientist near Tehran, an incident which Iran has claimed was the handiwork of the Mossad intelligence agency.

The warning further included both Dubai and Abu Dhabi in the UAE as well as Bahrain. Both Gulf Arab countries established diplomatic ties with Israel last year under historic US-brokered agreements.

The agency also identified Georgia, Azerbaijan, 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.

“We estimate that Iran will continue to operate in the near future to harm Israeli targets,” the agency’s Counterterrorism Bureau said in a statement.