Australia urges diplomats' dependents to leave Lebanon, Israel: What to know
Australia's order comes just a day after the US directed non-essential personnel at its embassy in Lebanon to depart.
Australia has ordered the departure of dependents of its officials from Lebanon and Israel amid growing fears of military escalation between the United States and Iran.
What happened: In X posts on Wednesday from the Australian Foreign Ministry’s Smartraveller account, the government said it had “directed the departure of dependents of Australian officials” in Lebanon and Israel. The ministry cited “the deteriorating security situation in the Middle East.”
“Regional tensions remain high and there continues to be a risk of military conflict,” the ministry said.
The government said it has also offered voluntary departures to the families of Australian officials posted in Jordan, Qatar and the United Arab Emirates.
