Australia urges diplomatic families to leave Israel, Lebanon

The government of Australia has instructed the dependants of its diplomats stationed in Israel and Lebanon to leave both countries, citing a worsening regional security environment, the foreign ministry said on February 25.

At the same time, Canberra has offered voluntary departures to the family members of Australian diplomatic staff based in the United Arab Emirates, Jordan and Qatar, according to a series of announcements published on the ministry’s official Smartraveller account on X.

The moves come amid rising tensions linked to developments involving the United States and Iran. In his State of the Union address to Congress on Tuesday, US President Donald Trump outlined his justification for a possible strike on Iran, stating that Washington would not allow what he described as the world’s largest sponsor of terrorism to obtain a nuclear weapon.

Iran and the United States resumed negotiations earlier this month as Washington increased its military capabilities across the Middle East. Tehran has warned it would target US bases in the region if attacked. However, Iran’s top diplomat said on Tuesday that an agreement with Washington remained “within reach” provided diplomacy is given priority.

Against this backdrop, Australia’s foreign ministry reiterated its advice that Australian citizens currently in Israel and Lebanon should consider departing while commercial travel options remain available.

By Tamilla Hasanova