Government tells Australians ‘do not travel to Israel’ amid Middle East uncertainty

New security advice could affect tens of thousands of Australian travellers amid fears of a major regional war.

New government travel advice tells Australians not to travel to Israel and the Occupied Palestinian Territories and to leave “while it’s safe to do so”.

The fresh advice issued by the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT) comes amid fears the conflicts between Israel and Iran-Islamist militants in Gaza and Lebanon could spark a major regional war.

“We now advise do not travel to Israel and the Occupied Palestinian Territories due to the volatile security situation, armed conflict, civil unrest and terrorism,” the DFAT-run Smartraveller website said.

“If you’re in Israel, you should leave while commercial flights remain available, border crossings are open and while it’s safe to do so.

“There’s an ongoing threat of missile and rocket attacks in Israel. You should not travel to Israeli border areas with Lebanon.”

An ambulance leaves the scene of a drone strike near the northern Israeli town of Binyamina amid the continuing war between Israel and Hezbollah. Picture: Oren ZIV / AFP

DFAT last hiked the safety level for Israel immediately following Hamas’s October 7 terrorist attacks, which sparked the Israeli incursion into Gaza.

Peter Dutton urged Australians to heed the renewed travel advice.

However, asked whether the government should consider repatriation flights from Israel, the Oppositon Leader responded: “No”.

“It’s based on intelligence or it’s based on security assessments, and we don’t want Australians going into harm’s way,” he told reporters on Tuesday.

“I understand the frustration that many Australians will have when there’s a travel advice that they don’t go to a particular country and they’re separated from family and business interests and other reasons that they might want to travel, but they need to hear the advice from from the Australian government.”

DFAT has also opened a crisis registration portal for Australians and permanent residents in Israel and West Bank.

Tensions between Israel and Iran have soared in recent weeks after Israeli forces killed most of the upper echelon of Lebanese terrorist group Hezbollah, which Iran supports.

Several senior Iranian military officers were also killed and injured in the action against Hezbollah.

Iran fired a barrage of nearly 200 missiles at Israel in response, most of which were intercepted.

But Israel has vowed to respond, with ideas floating around of striking Iran’s nuclear research and oil production sites.

The Albanese government also announced overnight it was slapping fresh sanctions on Iran targeting “five Iranian individuals contributing to Iran’s missile program”.

Israel’s ambassador to Australia Amir Maimon and Australia’s Foreign Minister Penny Wong, who says Iran will be held to account. Picture: NewsWire / Martin Ollman

“Iran’s missile program poses a material threat to regional and international security,” Foreign Minister Penny Wong said in a statement on Tuesday.

“Iran’s 1 October launch of over 180 ballistic missiles against Israel was a dangerous escalation that increased the risk of a wider regional war.

“Iran’s proxies continue to launch daily attacks across the region, using missiles and other military equipment provided by Iran. Iran’s delivery of ballistic missiles to Russia last month to aid its war against Ukraine further demonstrates Iran’s destabilising role.”

The sanctions target two directors and a senior official at Iran’s Aerospace Industries Organisation as well as the director of the Shahid Bagheri Industrial Group and the commercial director of the Shahid Hemmat Industrial Group.

Australia has now sanctioned 200 individuals and entities linked to Iran.

“Australia will continue to hold Iran to account for its reckless and destabilising actions,” Senator Wong said.