US embassy in Saudi Arabia urges personnel to exercise “increased caution”

• The US Embassy in Riyadh issued an urgent security alert on Wednesday advising all personnel and American citizens to avoid military installations and limit non-essential travel due to "heightened regional tensions" and the threat of retaliatory Iranian strikes.
• Sources close to the Saudi government confirmed that Riyadh has formally notified Tehran that it will remain neutral in any conflict, strictly prohibiting the US from using Saudi territory or airspace for potential military operations against the Islamic Republic.

The US embassy in Saudi Arabia told its personnel on Wednesday to act with caution and avoid military installations after Washington threatened to respond to what it says is the government cracking down on protests in Iran.

"Given ongoing regional tensions, the US mission to Saudi Arabia has advised its personnel to exercise increased caution and limit non-essential travel to any military installations in the region. We recommend American citizens in the Kingdom do the same," the embassy said in a statement on its website.

The Saudi government has informed Iran that they will not allow the use of their airspace or territory in any potential US military action against it, two sources close to Saudi government told Agence France-Presse (AFP) on Wednesday.

A source close to the Saudi military told AFP that “Saudi Arabia directly informed Tehran that it would not be part of any potential military action against it. Our land and airspace will not be used for that.”

A second source close to the government confirmed to AFP that the message had been conveyed to Tehran.

Neighboring countries in the Middle East are closely monitoring the protests unfolding in Iran and the subsequent US warnings of possible military intervention in response to the reported crackdown.