State Department warns of terrorism on Arabian Peninsula

Nations of the Arabian Peninsula

WASHINGTON (CNN) -- The State Department is warning U.S. citizens of "imminent terrorist actions" in the Arabian Peninsula.

In a statement released Wednesday, the department said it has "strong indications that individuals may be planning imminent terrorist actions against U.S. interests in the Arabian Peninsula." The Arabian Peninsula includes Saudi Arabia, Yemen, Iraq, Kuwait, Qatar, Oman, Bahrain, and the United Arab Emirates.

"In the past, such individuals have not distinguished between official and civilian targets," the statement said. "As always, we take this information seriously.

RESOURCES Message Board: Security threats

"U.S. government facilities remain at a heightened state of alert. American citizens in the region are urged to remain vigilant with regard to their personal security and to exercise caution.

The department said it had no information on "specific targets, timing, or method of attack."

U.S. military forces in the Persian Gulf and Middle East region went to the highest state of alert about a month ago in reaction to what officials at that time called an unspecified but credible threat of attack against U.S. interests believed to have been planned by people linked to accused terrorist Osama bin Laden.

That warning also did not identify a specific target. Officials said there was a time frame for that attack, but would not disclose it.

The Arabian Peninsula includes Saudi Arabia, Yemen, Kuwait, Qatar, Oman, Bahrain, and the United Arab Emirates.