2700 Australians seeking evacuation as Donald Trump mulls over Middle East intervention

The number of Australians trying to flee Israel and Iran has surged as Donald Trump “privately” green lights “attack plan”.

Some 2700 Australians are requesting government help to evacuate Israel and Iran as the US appears poised to intervene in the Middle East.

Donald Trump has approved attack plans but held off giving the order in the hope the Iranian regime would agree to surrender its nuclear program, the Wall Street Journal reported on Thursday (AEST), citing three people familiar with the matter.

The US President told reporters overnight that he had “ideas on what to do but I haven’t made a final – I like to make the final decision one second before it’s due”.

Deputy Prime Minister Richard Marles wouldn’t directly comment on the reports or Australia’s position if the United States elected to follow through with military action.

“I will not speculate about what is in the media... I’m not the spokesperson for America,”

Mr Marles told ABC’s Afternoon Briefing.

“Our response to the conflict is to seek de-escalation.

“We want to see diplomacy and dialogue pursued at this moment, and we are deeply concerned about the risk of escalating even more”

“In saying that, we absolutely acknowledge Israel’s right to defend itself and we absolutely acknowledge the threat that the Iran nuclear ballistic missile program represents to the peace and stability of the region.”

US President Donald Trump says he has ‘ideas on what to do’ with Iran. Picture: Brendan Smialowski / AFP

Foreign Minister Penny Wong said on Thursday the government was working to get Australians out of the strike zone but it was “a very, very difficult situation on the ground at the moment”.

“It’s a very complicated situation and … the airspace has been closed in both Israel and Iran since this conflict began,” Senator Wong told the ABC.

“We have about 1500 Australians in Iran who have registered with us for assistance, about 1200 in Israel.

“Obviously, there are more opportunities in relation to Israel.”

She confirmed the government managed to “get a small group out” of Israel by land on Wednesday, adding that “we’ll seek to continue that”.

“Obviously, the situation on the ground is fluid,” Senator Wong said.

As for Iran, she said it was “a very risk situation”.

Israel and Iran have been trading deadly strikes for six days. Picture: AFP / Jack Guez

“Our travel advice remains the same and it is that people, if you are able to leave safely, you should do so,” Senator Wong said.

“If not, shelter in place.”

‘Iran has a choice’

Israel and Iran continued trading deadly strikes into the early hours of Thursday.

Civilian deaths have been killed on both sides in the six days of fighting.

Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has vowed to pulverise Israel and warned the “harm the US will suffer will definitely be irreparable if they enter this conflict militarily”.

But with many of Iran’s most senior military officials and nuclear scientists dead, its air defences on its knees and most of the country’s key uranium enrichment facilities severely damaged, it is unclear how much longer his regime can continue.

An emergency UN Security Council meeting has been scheduled for Friday.

Earlier, Senator Wong backed Mr Trump’s stance on Iran and said Mr Khamenei “has a choice”.

Foreign Minister Penny Wong says the Iranian regime ‘has a choice’. Picture: NewsWire / Martin Ollman

“We know that conflict in the Middle East historically has led to instability, to security risks beyond the region,” Senator Wong told Seven.

“First, we agree with President Trump that nothing is too late.

“Iran has a choice here, and the choice should be to return to the table and engage in dialogue and diplomacy.

“We see the situation there and as tough as their words might be, I think we all know the situation that they face and it’s time for them to return to the table.”

She warned there was a “risk of regional escalation of this conflict getting larger, spreading, the consequences for all the people’s of the region and more broadly the globe”.

Originally published as 2700 Australians seeking evacuation as Donald Trump mulls over Middle East intervention