Sri Lankan police arrested three people over a threat to Israeli travellers after heightening security at popular tourist attractions. The Indian Ocean island’s elite Special Task Force (STF) have scaled up security in three tourist hubs, including capital Colombo, after the US Embassy in Colombo warned of a possible threat to Israeli tourists.

Sri Lanka police have arrested three persons in connection with a possible attack on Israel travellers in the Indian ocean island, a government minister said on Thursday, a day after the authorities stepped up the security across the country,

The arrests, all of Sri Lankans, came a day after the U.S. and Israel issued warnings to its citizens to avoid a popular tourist area.

Both the United States and Israel issued security alerts Wednesday warning of a potential attack on tourist locations in a coastal area of Sri Lanka.

Sri Lanka beefed up security in tourism hot spots after the US and Israel warned citizens to leave popular beach resort areas because of possible attacks on visitors.

Israel's national security council has called on Israelis to leave parts of southern Sri Lanka immediately over the threat of a potential terrorist attack.