Australia tells families of diplomats to leave Israel, Lebanon

Voluntary departures are offered in the United Arab Emirates, Jordan and Qatar

A close-up of a pin on Director of the Diplomatic Security Service's Major Events Coordination Division, Timothy Ayers', lapel during a tour of their operations center, discussing the United States' security presence at the 2026 Winter Olympic and Paralympic Games in Milan, Italy, Feb 5, 2026. REUTERS/Guglielmo Mangiapane

The Australian government has told dependants of Australian diplomats in Israel and Lebanon to leave the two Middle East countries, citing a deteriorating security situation in the region, the foreign ministry said on Wednesday.

The government has also offered voluntary departures to Australian diplomats' dependants in the United Arab Emirates, Jordan and Qatar, it said on an official ministry X account.

US President Donald Trump laid out his case for a possible attack on Iran in his State of the Union speech to Congress on Tuesday, saying he would not allow the world's biggest sponsor of terrorism to have a nuclear weapon.

Iran and the United States resumed negotiations earlier this month as Washington builds up military capability in the Middle East. Iran has threatened to strike US bases in the region if it is attacked, but Tehran's top diplomat said on Tuesday that a deal with the US was "within reach" if diplomacy is prioritised.

The Australian government continues to advise citizens in Israel and Lebanon to consider leaving while commercial options are still available, the foreign ministry said.

The anouncements were made in a series of posts on the foreign ministry's Smartraveller X account.