Australians in Israel and Iran have been urged to leave after reported explosions in the Iranian city of Isfahan.
The warning from the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT) comes after US officials reported strike days after .
Meanwhile, Iran’s Fars news agency news agency reported “three explosions” were heard, while the country’s space agency spokesperson Hossein Dalirian said “several” drones had been “successfully shot down”.
Source: SBS News
DFAT’s Smartraveller website at around midday on Friday urged Australians in Israel or the occupied Palestinian territories to depart “if it’s safe to do so”.
“There’s a high threat of military reprisals and terrorist attacks against Israel and Israeli interests across the region,” Smartraveller wrote on X (formerly Twitter).
“The security situation could deteriorate quickly.”
It said Israel’s Ben Gurion International Airport could pause operations at short notice.
There was already a ‘reconsider your need to travel’ advisory in place for Israel and the occupied Palestinian territories following an , who rule the occupied territory of Gaza, on southern Israel in October last year. It subsequently sparked a war that is now in its sixth month.
It also issued a fresh warning for Australians in Iran, for which its official advice was already ‘do not travel’.
“There have been reports of explosions across some locations in Iran and the Middle East,” a warning on the Smartraveller website read. “Regional tensions are high, and the security situation could deteriorate quickly with little or no notice.”
Dependents of Australian officials in Iran have been offered voluntary return to Australia, while diplomats have been told to remain in Tehran, Iran’s capital, and not travel outside the region, according to the Smartraveller website.
SBS News contacted DFAT to ask how many Australians are in Israel, the occupied Palestinian territories, and Iran.
Iran launched an unprecedented attack on Israeli positions last weekend, sending 300 drones which Israel said it mostly intercepted.
Iran had repeatedly threatened to strike Israel in retaliation for that the reprisals were imminent.
With additional reporting from Reuters.
Source Agencies
