Lifestyle Trend: Foreign Office issues travel warning for Turkey and Cyprus amid ongoing conflict You Should Know

As the conflict continues between Iran, the US and Israel, the Foreign Office has issued new travel guidance.

Brits in Turkey and Cyprus have been issued urgent travel warnings by the Foreign Office as worrying conflict in the Middle East continues. Today marks the fourth day of conflict between Iran, the US and Israel, with Brits being told “do not travel” to certain areas..

As the conflict spreads across the region, a huge section of the global airspace has been shut down completely. Recently, the Lebanese health ministry announced that while Israel and Hezbollah in Lebanon have exchanged strikes, at least 31 people have been killed in Israeli attacks in Beirut and southern Lebanon, with 149 injured.

On top of this, on Sunday (March 1) nine people in the Israeli city of Beit Shemesh were killed by an Iranian missile strike. Iranian officials have also reported that at least 153 people were killed after a strike on a girls’ school, which Iran’s President Masoud Pezeshkian has called a “barbaric act”, reports the Mirror.

As a result, the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) has issued new travel guidance for Brits currently in Cyprus and Turkey. It should be noted however that at the time of writing these are not “do not travel” warnings.

This is because such alerts are used for signally extremely high risks, which often invalidate travel insurance and can leave tourists personally responsible for any accident and medical bills. Risks that can warrant this alert include conflict, terrorism, or civil unrest.

Instead, the FCDO is advising all tourists against any travel that is within 10km of the border of Syria. As a result of “fighting and heightened risk of terrorism” in the area, Brits are being warned that their “travel insurance could be invalidated if [they] travel against advice from the FCDO”.

Additionally, the FCDO updated its advice for those planning to cross the border from Iran into Turkey. At the moment, the border remains open visa-free for people travelling on UK or Iranian passports.

The FCDO update reads: “If you are a British national intending to cross the land border from Iran into Turkey, you must request facilitation from the British Embassy in Ankara by contacting the FCDO before travelling to the border.

“You must state which border point you intend to use and provide personal details (name, date of birth, details of travel document used to enter Turkey). Also indicate whether you are contacting from Iran or from the UK on behalf of a relative.”

It adds: “If you intend to leave Iran overland, you do so at your own risk. In Iran, holding a British passport or having perceived connections to the UK can be reason enough for the Iranian authorities to detain you. “

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There has also been rising concerns for those in Cyprus as it sits less than 100km from the coasts of both Syria and Lebanon. Cyprus is a popular spot for Brits, with 1.3million visiting from the UK each year and around 30,000 Brits living there.

It was reported on March 2 that a one-way drone attack had hit the RAF base Akrotiri in Cyprus. While no injuries were reported, the base is currently moving families and temporarily relocating their non-essential staff.

The Foreign Office’s updated Cyprus advice reads: “On 2 March 2026, the Sovereign Base Areas Administration confirmed a suspected drone impact at RAF Akrotiri.

“British nationals in the Sovereign Base Areas should follow instructions from the Sovereign Base Areas Administration British Bases Cyprus Facebook. British nationals in the Republic of Cyprus should follow any instructions from Cypriot local authorities.”

Also issued general advice for people in the region, the FCDO is urging British nationals to take “sensible precautions, considering their own individual circumstances.” This includes:

• Read if you’re affected by a crisis abroad – GOV.UK. This includes guidance on “how to prepare for a crisis” with suggestions on what you might include in your emergency supplies and “what to do in a crisis”
• Sign up to FCDO Travel Advice email alerts
• Monitor local and international media for the latest information
• Sign up to local information alerts/resources and follow the instructions of the local authorities

The GOV.UK website has also launched a central advice hub to provide ongoing updates and allow British nationals in Bahrain, Israel, Kuwait, Palestine, Qatar and United Arab Emirates to register their presence to receive direct updates.