The government has warned Australian travellers about rising tensions from the Israel-Lebanon conflict affecting neighbouring countries and the possibility of airspace closing.
Alerts were sent on Sunday through the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade’s Smartraveller website for Türkiye, United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Qatar, Oman, Kuwait, Jordan, Yemen, Syria and Bahrain about “an increased threat of attacks against Israeli interests across the region”.
“The ongoing conflict in Lebanon and the Occupied Palestinian Territories could lead to increased tensions in other locations in the Middle East,” the warnings read.
The government also says: “Demonstrations and protest activity may also occur, and localised security situations could deteriorate with little notice. Avoid all demonstrations and protests.”
The conflict may also result in airspace closures, flight cancellations, flight diversions and other travel disruptions across the region, travellers have been warned.
Australians have been repeatedly warned since Hezbollah and Israel began trading fire in October last year, adjacent to the Israel-Hamas war.
and over 1,000 people have been killed in the past two weeks, Lebanon’s health ministry said.
After killing , Israel on Sunday vowed to keep up its assault.
Australia’s latest travel warning differs from some of its allies — for some Middle Eastern countries, the United Kingdom government says, “Ongoing hostilities between Israel and Lebanon could escalate quickly and pose risks for the wider region”, but it does not include Türkiye in its advice.
The New Zealand government has issued a ‘do not travel’ warning for Lebanon but has not advised of the risk of the conflict affecting neighbouring countries, which is similar to the messaging of the United States government.
Australians in Israel have been warned not to travel to northern regions near the border with Lebanon, as these are being targeted by Hezbollah strikes.
“Israeli authorities have issued updated advice to communities in northern Israel about limiting movement and staying close to bomb shelters,” Smartraveller says.
, the government says, warning there is limited availability of commercial flights.