US bombs Iran: Fears for 4200 Aussies stranded in Middle East

As the conflict in the Middle East escalates, thousands of terrified Australians remain trapped in Israel and Iran. Watch the video.

Hundreds of Australians stranded in the Middle East have rushed for assistance from the federal government in recent days as the list continues to grow of people trying to flee Israel and Iran.

Latest Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade figures on Monday (Tuesday AEST) showed about 4200 Australians have registered to try and leave the two warring countries including 1300 Australians in Israel and 2900 in Iran.

Gili Inbar, 25, from Melbourne - who is on holiday in Israel - has spent the past week trying to leave Israel and said he hoped to finally depart on Tuesday after having his plans to depart derailed multiple times.

Gili Inbar, 25, from Melbourne, has been trying to leave Israel for the past week and has been unable to successfully arrange a bus or flight service. Picture: Jordon Polevoy.

“My original flight out was to be last Tuesday (June 17) but ever since I’ve just been trying to leave based on what options are available and what’s safe,” he said.

“I’m quite happy and very optimistic about it and it’s nice, even though I’m comfortable with family and friends, it’s nice to know I have a date that I can look forward to knowing that I can go back home”.

On Tuesday morning local time he is scheduled to get on a bus arranged by DFAT to transport him and dozens of other Australians to Ben Gurion Airport in Tel Aviv.

Australians will then be flown on a Royal Australian Air Force flight to Aqaba in Jordan, before continuing on to Dubai.

From there it’s up to them to arrange their own air travel back to Australia.

Gili Inbar, 25, from Melbourne, is hoping to leave Israel via a Royal Australian Air Force plane on Tuesday, June 24. Picture: Jordon Polevoy.

Mr Inbar was due to start a new job in Melbourne on Monday but those plans were put on hold as he continued to try and work out a safe and reliable option to get home.

Many Australians are staying at the InterContinental David Tel Aviv - with accommodation costs covered by the federal government - before they are put on buses and flights out of Israel.

Plans to get Australians out on Monday were cancelled after Iranian missiles fired at Israel about 10.30am (5.30pm AEST) and this resulted in transfers to get out of the Middle East being cancelled.

A DFAT spokeswoman said “safety” remained the priority for Australians trying to leave.

“Australian citizens or permanent residents in Iran, Israel or the Occupied Palestinian Territories who are seeking Australian Government support should register via DFAT’s Crisis Portal or by calling the 24-hour Consular Emergency Centre on [phone] (from overseas) or 1300 555 135 (from within Australia),” she said.

Australia’s Smarttraveller website has warned Australians: “The United States has conducted strikes on Iran’s nuclear sites at Fordow, Natanz and Esfahan.

“There is an increased risk of further attacks and military conflict in the region.

“The local security situation could get worse with little notice.

“The Australian Government continues to plan for assisted departures, when it is safe to do so”.

‘WE HAVE TO SIT AND WAIT’

Israel’s air space remains closed following the US strike on Iran’s nuclear facilities on Sunday which has left many people stranded in the Middle East for the foreseeable future.

DFAT had buses and Royal Australian Air Force flights organised to get Australians out of the war zone, but these have now been put on hold as Israel’s airspace remains closed and buses services cancelled.

A group of Australians travelling together had their return flights booked on June 13 to return from a four-week holiday back to Australia but their plans were derailed when the latest conflict between Israel and Iran broke out.

Liz Sveticic, 63, from Epping, who works as a personal carer, said she was all “packed and ready to go on June 13” until “all hell broke loose” between the two warring countries.

Liz was all “packed and ready to go on June 13”.

Sam is on holiday with his wife.

“We contacted all the authorities, the consular, the travel agents, everything possible and from my understanding we’ve been told to keep safe and keep where we are,” she told News Corp while on holiday in Tel Aviv.

“It’s our risk if we want to go to Jordan, which is a very high risk which I’m not prepared to do.

“We have to sit and wait”.

Ms Sveticic said she’s being inundated by calls and messages from family and friends in Australia concerned for her safety but said many people at home are more stressed than she is while being stuck in the middle of a war zone.

“They (Australians) don’t understand because of course everyone is ringing in panic and they are panicking more than we are panicking, they don’t get it,” she said.

“Realistically I would love to go home, my granddaughter turned one yesterday, it’s heartbreaking”.

Sam Federici, 72, from Caulfield South, is also on holiday in Israel with his wife Liora, 74, and said they arrived in Israel on May 22 but are now trapped in Israel for the foreseeable future.

Sitting in a cafe in Dizengoff Street – one of Tel Aviv’s most popular food and fashion hubs – he said his family has been moving hotels as their stay keeps getting extended.

Emergency responders gather at the site of an Iranian air strike in the Ramat Aviv neighbourhood Tel Aviv, Israel. Picture: Getty Images

Just hours after learning that America had destroyed three of Iran’s nuclear plants he said hearing the news was “unbelievable”.

“I think he’s achieved in one fell blow what nobody could do for the last 20 years or 30 years,” Mr Federici said.

“Hopefully it’s a chance for peace”.

But Mr Federici said he was “very disappointed” with the Australian government and its treatment of the Jewish community.

“I’m disappointed with Albanese, I’m disappointed with Penny Wong, I hate to say her name, I’m just disappointed with the way the ALP have treated Jewish people in Australia, as if they don’t exist,” he said.

“What 120,000 Jews in Australia have achieved, no-one can come anywhere near it and the government is treating them as if they don’t matter and as if they don’t exist”.