Australia Directs Families of Diplomats to Leave Israel and Lebanon

The Australian government is calling back the families of officials in the Middle East and urging other citizens to avoid the region.

People walk with Iranian national flags near a ballistic missile launch vehicle in Tehran, Iran, on Feb. 11, 2026. AFP via Getty Images

The Australian government has issued a directive for all dependents of officials posted in Israel and Lebanon to depart in response the “deteriorating security situation.”

“The security situation in the Middle East is unpredictable,” said the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade’s (DFAT) government-run Smartraveller social media page.