Travel safety

Most dangerous countries in the Middle East in 2026

Middle Eastern countries with the highest combined safety risk in 2026, dominated by active-war and state-failure cases.

Last updated 14 May 2026 · How Warnely scores risk →

The Middle East has the sharpest internal contrast of any region. The Gulf states score among the safest countries in the world for crime; the active-war and failed-state cases sit among the most dangerous globally. There is very little middle ground.

These are the Middle Eastern countries with the highest combined Warnely risk score. For nearly all of them the practical answer for ordinary tourist travel in 2026 is wait. The Warnely guides explain why for each country.

How this list is built. Filtered to Middle Eastern countries. Sorted descending by Warnely risk score.

The list

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Syria

95/100

Active civil war zones.

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Yemen

95/100

Active armed conflict. Humanitarian catastrophe.

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Iraq

80/100

Kurdistan region has lower risk. Rest of Iraq has severe security risks. Historical sites incredible but access difficult.

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Palestine

78/100

Active conflict in Gaza. West Bank access complicated. Bethlehem accessible from Israel.

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Lebanon

69/100

Economic crisis ongoing. Beirut has moments of beauty. Security situation volatile. Check advisories carefully.

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Iran

62/100

Incredible history and hospitality. Complex political situation. Strict dress codes. Dual nationals at risk.

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Israel

54/100

Complex security situation. Tel Aviv and Jerusalem draw visitors. Conflict zones must be avoided.

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Turkey

50/100

Rich culture. Earthquake risk significant. Avoid areas near the Syrian border.

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Jordan

35/100

Petra and Wadi Rum are highlights. Welcoming culture.

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Saudi Arabia

32/100

Rapidly opening to tourism. Low crime. Strict social and religious laws that visitors must respect.

Data view (click a header to sort)

Rank	Country	Region	Risk score	Risk tier	Notable
1	Syria	Middle East	90	Do Not Travel	95/100
2	Yemen	Middle East	90	Do Not Travel	95/100
3	Iraq	Middle East	81	Do Not Travel	80/100
4	Palestine	Middle East	51	Exercise Increased Caution	78/100
5	Lebanon	Middle East	76	Do Not Travel	69/100
6	Iran	Middle East	72	High Risk	62/100
7	Israel	Middle East	65	High Risk	54/100
8	Turkey	Middle East	57	High Risk	50/100
9	Jordan	Middle East	46	Exercise Increased Caution	35/100
10	Saudi Arabia	Middle East	44	Exercise Increased Caution	32/100

The Middle East risk picture is among the fastest-moving in the Warnely dataset. The authority-signal feeds from the FCDO and US State Department are refreshed daily, and the country guide for each entry carries the current advisory text. Always read the underlying advisory rather than relying on a static page.