UK warns against all travel to Israel as missile strikes continue into third night
16 June 2025, 00:41 | Updated: 16 June 2025, 01:03
The Government has advised against travelling to Israel following a second night of retaliatory missile strikes from Iran.
Listen to this article
Loading audio...
The UK government is warning people not to visit Israel under any circumstances, advice that has been published as the country's missile exchange with Iran shows no signs of easing.
The change comes following the Foreign Office issuing a warning against "all but essential travel" to most of Israel on Friday.
While areas around Gaza, the West Bank and the Golan Heights were already classed as 'red zones' - high-risk designations - the government has now updated the warning for the remainder of the country to red.
The decision means Iran and Israel are both on the same level, and the change of advice is also likely to impact travel insurance.
Read more: Labour minister unable to say if UK would offer operational support to Israel
It would be difficult for willing travellers to visit Israel regardless, with the country's airspace closed and its national airline El Al cancelling flights to and from many European cities, as well as Tokyo and Moscow, until 23 June.
The change in travel advice comes after a second night of missile attacks by Iran and Israel, and hot on the heels of Donald Trump rejecting an Israeli proposal to assassinate Iran’s Supreme Leader, according to senior US officials.
Sources told US media that Israel had briefed the Trump administration on a covert operation to target Iran’s top political figure — but the US President refused to sign it off.
One senior official said Mr Trump’s position was clear: "Have the Iranians killed an American yet? No. Until they do, we’re not even talking about going after the political leadership."
The White House has maintained that it wants Israel’s military actions to remain focused on limiting Iran’s nuclear capabilities, and not to spark a broader regional war.
When asked about the reports, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu declined to confirm the claims, telling Fox News: "There are so many false reports of conversations that never happened, and I’m not going to get into that."
But he added: "We do what we need to do. And I think the United States knows what is good for the United States."
World leaders are due to gather in Calgary on Monday for the G7 summit, where the conflict in the Middle East is expected to dominate discussions.
Mr Trump has urged Iran and Israel to "sign a peace deal," writing on his Truth Social site:"Iran and Israel should make a deal, and will make a deal. We will have PEACE, soon, between Israel and Iran! Many calls and meetings now taking place.”
The US President said calls and meetings were underway to bring both sides to the negotiating table and end the escalating conflict.In an interview with ABC News, he said he had spoken with Russian President Vladimir Putin about acting as a mediator.
On Sunday, Israeli strikes killed the chief of Iran's armed forces intelligence unit, as Benjamin Netanyahu's forces continued to carry out attacks on Iranian targets.
Tel Aviv officials say 10 people were killed following Iranian strikes — six in Bat Yam, south of Tel Aviv, and four in the northern town of Tamra — and more than 100 others injured.
Explosions and loud booms were heard in cities including Haifa, Tel Aviv, and Jerusalem.
Iran launched another wave of drones and ballistic missiles, but the IDF said most were intercepted, with no reports of any impacts.
Israel launched its first round of strikes on Friday, hitting 250 sites including nuclear facilities, military locations, and populated areas.
Iran's health ministry reports that at least 224 people have been killed in Israeli attacks since Friday, with around 900 injured.
![Sir Keir Starmer has called on Vladimir Putin to "stop dragging his heels and get to the [negotiating] table", as Trump calls the Russian president "misguided."](https://images.lbc.co.uk/images/734580?width=320&crop=16_9&format=webp&signature=hCtUT-QBb1QuxMxVTF6Ch2nl6Ow=)
