The US State Department on Thursday issued a new global terrorism alert that warns US citizens abroad of an increased threat in attacks and violent anti-American demonstrations.

The department also renewed a regional terrorism advisory for the Middle East and North Africa.

The US government was deeply concerned about the heightened threat of terrorist attacks and the potential for demonstrations and violent actions against US citizens and interests overseas, the department said in a worldwide caution notice.

Warning that the al-Qaeda terrorist group "continues to prepare to strike US interests abroad," the notice said "future al-Qaeda attacks could possibly involve nonconventional weapons such as chemical or biological agents as well as conventional weapons of terror."

The department on Wednesday warned US citizens to avoid travels to Israel and Palestinian territories and urged Americans to leave the Gaza Strip immediately.

Source: Xinhua