Australia’s Department of Foreign Affairs & Trade (DFAT) has downgraded its Israel travel warning as ‘reconsider your need to travel’ just weeks after escalating to the highest level. However, the ‘do not travel’ advice for Lebanon remains as the volatile Middle East conflict continues after 12 months.
DFAT’s Smartraveller website now advises Australian travellers to reconsider their need to travel to Israel and Occupied Palestinian Territories “due to the volatile security situation, armed conflict, civil unrest and terrorism”.
The Israel travel warning advises against travelling to Gaza and areas near the border with Gaza, border areas with Lebanon and the West Bank (excluding East Jerusalem).
Just three weeks ago, DFAT escalated its Israel and Occupied Palestinian Territories travel advice to the highest level as part of its Israel travel warning, due to the “high threat of military and terrorist attacks against Israel and Israeli interests across the region”.
This situation has seen airspace closures, flight cancellations, diversions and other travel disruptions. Some airlines have reduced and suspended flights to and from Israel’s main aviation hub, Ben Gurion International Airport.
Israel’s airline El Al is still operating however, several major carriers have grounded flights to the region, including British Airways, United Airlines, Delta Air Lines, Iberia and Air India.
In addition to the updated Israel travel warning, DFAT advises that Australians “should not travel to Israeli border areas with Lebanon”.
Smartraveller warns Israeli military airstrikes in southern Beirut and other locations and Israeli military ground operations in southern Lebanon are likely to continue.
DFAT’s travel advice for Lebanon remains at the highest level since 19 October 2023 with thousands of Australians recently leaving on repatriation flights from Beirut.
ABC News reported 4,000 Australians and their families have registered to leave Lebanon.
The Australian Government has issued travel alerts for the entire Middle East region, warning that escalating tensions in the Israel-Lebanon conflict could impact nearby countries and flight routes.
