Australian Government issues global travel warning
The Australian Government has warned Aussies that the 'unpredictable' situation in the Middle East may put them at risk or leave them stranded and unable to get home, regardless of where they are globally.
On Saturday night (local time), US President Donald Trump dropped a barrage of tactical bombs on uranium enrichment nuclear facilities across Iran, the first direct involvement from the superpower in the Israel-Iran war.
In the wake of the strike, world leaders are calling for diplomacy as fears of retaliation grow.
On Monday, Smartraveller, which is part of the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, warned Australians about the 'global impacts of conflict in the Middle East'.
'The situation in the Middle East is unpredictable. It could get worse with little warning. Security risks may increase. There may be travel disruptions within the region and globally,' Smartraveller said.
The advice followed a US State Department 'worldwide travel warning' issued on Sunday night.
The new information from Smartraveller warned Aussies that they could be caught up in conflict 'even if your destination is not in the Middle East'.
'Closure of airspace around transit hubs in the Middle East may impact flights globally. It may cause flight delays and cancellations,' the warning said.
'If you travel to or through the Middle East, you may be unable to leave if conflict escalates.
'Local security situations could get worse with little warning. Flights can change or stop at short notice. Roads and borders can close.'
Australians are being warned about safety and security globally, not just in the Middle East.
'Conflict in the Middle East could impact safety and security elsewhere. There is a risk of reprisal attacks and further escalation,' Smartraveller said.
'Protests and civil unrest may happen globally. The risk of terrorist attacks can increase, particularly around areas where foreign tourists gather, embassies and other foreign interests.'
The new alert included information on the risks of armed conflict, terrorism, kidnapping, protests and civil unrest.
On Sunday night, the United States Government warned its citizens of increased risk globally.
'The conflict between Israel and Iran has resulted in disruptions to travel and periodic closure of airspace across the Middle East,' the US State Department said in a statement.
'There is the potential for demonstrations against US citizens and interests abroad.
'The Department of State advises U.S. citizens worldwide to exercise increased caution.'
Before Aussies leave the country, they should contact their airline to ensure the flight is still planned.
Smartraveller also encourages Aussies to check their travel insurance policy before travel.
If Australians leave the country or are overseas, while travelling, they are encouraged to stay alert to possible threats, monitor local and international news for new threats, take official warnings seriously and follow the instructions of local authorities.
Yes. There are currently large impacts on airline services due to the Middle East conflict.
Flight routes were changed when war between Israel and Iran escalated and missiles were launched.
Many airlines have temporarily suspended flight on some routes. Airlines including Etihad, Emirates, Flydubai, Wizz Air, Air Arabia, Watar Airways, Oman Air, Kuwait Airways, Gulf Air, Syrian Airlines, EgyptAir, Delta Air Lines, United Airlines, American Airlines, Air Canada, Air France, KLM, Ryan Air, Swiss Air Lines, Lufthansa, Austrian Airlines, Brussels Airlines and Aeroflot have current suspensions on services.
Virgin Australia and Qantas are understood to be monitoring the situation closely, both for any direct flights and those carried out with partner airlines.
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Herald Sun
an hour ago
- Herald Sun
Iran vows retaliation for US strikes as Israel keeps up attacks
Don't miss out on the headlines from Breaking News. Followed categories will be added to My News. Tehran threatened on Monday to inflict "serious" damage in retaliation for US strikes on the Islamic republic's nuclear facilities, as the Iran-Israel war entered its 11th day despite calls for de-escalation. Aerial assaults meanwhile raged on, with air raid sirens sounding across Israel and AFP journalists reporting several blasts were heard over Jerusalem. The Israeli military said it had struck missile sites in western Iran as well as "six Iranian regime airports" across the country, destroying fighter jets and helicopters. President Donald Trump said US warplanes used "bunker buster" bombs to target sites in Fordo, Isfahan and Natanz, boasting the strikes had "obliterated" Iran's nuclear capabilities. Other officials said it was too soon to assess the true impact on Iran's nuclear programme, which Israel and some Western states consider an existential threat. Iranian armed forces spokesman Ebrahim Zolfaghari said on state television that the US "hostile act", following more than a week of Israeli bombardments, would "pave the way for the extension of war in the region". "The fighters of Islam will inflict serious, unpredictable consequences on you with powerful and targeted (military) operations," he warned. Global markets reacted nervously, with oil prices jumping more than four percent early Monday. China urged both Iran and Israel to prevent the conflict from spilling over, warning of potential economic fallout. Oman, a key mediator in the stalled Iran-US nuclear talks, condemned the US strikes and called for calm. Iran's foreign ministry accused Washington of betraying diplomacy. "Future generations will not forget that the Iranians were in the middle of a diplomatic process with a country that is now at war with us," said ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baqaei. Britain, France and Germany called on Iran "not to take any further action that could destabilise the region". As the world awaited Iran's response, supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei called the bombing campaign Israel launched on June 13 "a big mistake". - 'Regime change' - US Secretary of State Marco Rubio called on China to help deter Iran from closing the Strait of Hormuz, a chokepoint for one-fifth of the world's oil supply. With Iran threatening US bases in the region, the State Department issued a worldwide alert cautioning Americans abroad. In central Tehran on Sunday, protesters waved flags and chanted slogans against US and Israeli attacks. In the province of Semnan east of the capital, 46-year-old housewife Samireh said she was "truly shocked" by the strikes. "Semnan province is very far from the nuclear facilities targeted, but I'm very concerned for the people who live near," she told AFP. Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian said the US strikes revealed Washington was "behind" Israel's campaign against the Islamic republic and vowed a response. After the Pentagon stressed the goal of American intervention was not to topple the Iranian government, Trump openly toyed with the idea. "It's not politically correct to use the term, 'Regime Change,' Trump posted on his Truth Social platform. "But if the current Iranian Regime is unable to MAKE IRAN GREAT AGAIN, why wouldn't there be a Regime change???" Hours later he doubled down on emphasising the success of his strikes. "Monumental Damage was done to all Nuclear sites in Iran, as shown by satellite images. Obliteration is an accurate term!" Trump wrote, without sharing the images he was referencing. At a Pentagon press briefing earlier in the day, top US general Dan Caine said "initial battle damage assessments indicate that all three sites sustained extremely severe damage." Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, meanwhile, said his country's bombardments would "finish" once the stated objectives of destroying Iran's nuclear and missile capabilities have been achieved. "We are very, very close to completing them," he said. - 'Blow up' - Israeli strikes on Iran have killed more than 400 people, Iran's health ministry said. Iran's attacks on Israel have killed 24 people, according to official figures. Rafael Grossi, director of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), told an emergency meeting of the UN Security Council that craters were visible at the Fordo facility, but it had not been possible to assess the underground damage. "Armed attacks on nuclear facilities should never take place," he added. Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi, who was due to meet with Russian President Vladimir Putin on Monday, had accused the United States of deciding to "blow up" nuclear diplomacy with its intervention in the war. While Russia condemned the Israeli and US strikes, it has not offered military help and has downplayed its obligations under a sweeping strategic partnership agreement signed with Tehran just months ago. On Sunday, Russia, China and Pakistan circulated a draft resolution with other Security Council members that calls for an "immediate ceasefire" in Iran. burs-ami/dv Originally published as Iran vows retaliation for US strikes as Israel keeps up attacks
News.com.au
an hour ago
- News.com.au
Iran vows retaliation for US strikes as Israel keeps up attacks
Tehran threatened on Monday to inflict "serious" damage in retaliation for US strikes on the Islamic republic's nuclear facilities, as the Iran-Israel war entered its 11th day despite calls for de-escalation. Aerial assaults meanwhile raged on, with air raid sirens sounding across Israel and AFP journalists reporting several blasts were heard over Jerusalem. The Israeli military said it had struck missile sites in western Iran as well as "six Iranian regime airports" across the country, destroying fighter jets and helicopters. President Donald Trump said US warplanes used "bunker buster" bombs to target sites in Fordo, Isfahan and Natanz, boasting the strikes had "obliterated" Iran's nuclear capabilities. Other officials said it was too soon to assess the true impact on Iran's nuclear programme, which Israel and some Western states consider an existential threat. Iranian armed forces spokesman Ebrahim Zolfaghari said on state television that the US "hostile act", following more than a week of Israeli bombardments, would "pave the way for the extension of war in the region". "The fighters of Islam will inflict serious, unpredictable consequences on you with powerful and targeted (military) operations," he warned. Global markets reacted nervously, with oil prices jumping more than four percent early Monday. China urged both Iran and Israel to prevent the conflict from spilling over, warning of potential economic fallout. Oman, a key mediator in the stalled Iran-US nuclear talks, condemned the US strikes and called for calm. Iran's foreign ministry accused Washington of betraying diplomacy. "Future generations will not forget that the Iranians were in the middle of a diplomatic process with a country that is now at war with us," said ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baqaei. Britain, France and Germany called on Iran "not to take any further action that could destabilise the region". As the world awaited Iran's response, supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei called the bombing campaign Israel launched on June 13 "a big mistake". - 'Regime change' - US Secretary of State Marco Rubio called on China to help deter Iran from closing the Strait of Hormuz, a chokepoint for one-fifth of the world's oil supply. With Iran threatening US bases in the region, the State Department issued a worldwide alert cautioning Americans abroad. In central Tehran on Sunday, protesters waved flags and chanted slogans against US and Israeli attacks. In the province of Semnan east of the capital, 46-year-old housewife Samireh said she was "truly shocked" by the strikes. "Semnan province is very far from the nuclear facilities targeted, but I'm very concerned for the people who live near," she told AFP. Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian said the US strikes revealed Washington was "behind" Israel's campaign against the Islamic republic and vowed a response. After the Pentagon stressed the goal of American intervention was not to topple the Iranian government, Trump openly toyed with the idea. "It's not politically correct to use the term, 'Regime Change,' Trump posted on his Truth Social platform. "But if the current Iranian Regime is unable to MAKE IRAN GREAT AGAIN, why wouldn't there be a Regime change???" Hours later he doubled down on emphasising the success of his strikes. "Monumental Damage was done to all Nuclear sites in Iran, as shown by satellite images. Obliteration is an accurate term!" Trump wrote, without sharing the images he was referencing. At a Pentagon press briefing earlier in the day, top US general Dan Caine said "initial battle damage assessments indicate that all three sites sustained extremely severe damage." Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, meanwhile, said his country's bombardments would "finish" once the stated objectives of destroying Iran's nuclear and missile capabilities have been achieved. "We are very, very close to completing them," he said. - 'Blow up' - Israeli strikes on Iran have killed more than 400 people, Iran's health ministry said. Iran's attacks on Israel have killed 24 people, according to official figures. Rafael Grossi, director of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), told an emergency meeting of the UN Security Council that craters were visible at the Fordo facility, but it had not been possible to assess the underground damage. "Armed attacks on nuclear facilities should never take place," he added. Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi, who was due to meet with Russian President Vladimir Putin on Monday, had accused the United States of deciding to "blow up" nuclear diplomacy with its intervention in the war. While Russia condemned the Israeli and US strikes, it has not offered military help and has downplayed its obligations under a sweeping strategic partnership agreement signed with Tehran just months ago. On Sunday, Russia, China and Pakistan circulated a draft resolution with other Security Council members that calls for an "immediate ceasefire" in Iran.
Sky News AU
an hour ago
- Sky News AU
Fresh warnings emerge for Australian travellers, flights rerouted as Israel-Iran war at risk of 'unpredictable' escalation in Middle East
Australians have been warned of the travel disruptions to come as the Israel-Iran war in the Middle East threatens danger up in the air amid peak holiday season. The nation's peak travel advisor published fresh warnings on Monday urging Australians to reconsider their flying plans not just for the Middle East but for around the globe too. Smarttraveller labelled the conflict in the Middle East "unpredictable" and noted the situation could become worse with "little warning". "Closure of airspace around transit hubs in the Middle East may impact flights globally. It may cause flight delays and cancellations," it wrote in a statement. "Your travel plans may be affected, even if your destination is not in the Middle East. "If you travel to or through the Middle East, you may be unable to leave if conflict escalates. "There is a risk of reprisal attacks and further escalation." Airlines flying Australians to Europe have begun rerouting to avoid the conflict in the Middle East. The challenge comes as more Aussies pack their bags to escape the winter for a European summer. While Australians are yet to face any flight cancellation horrors, Qatar Airways, confirmed the ongoing situation 'will require some schedule changes to strengthen the connectivity'. Both Virgin Australia and Qantas Airlines told it continues to monitor the situation closely, but flights currently remain unaffected. "Virgin Australia's wet leased Doha services remain unaffected, however we continue to monitor the situation closely," a spokesperson for Virgin Australia said. "If for any reason a schedule change is required, Virgin Australia and Qatar Airways will work together on identifying safe alternatives and will ensure guests remain well-informed of any impacts." Flightradar24 shows the empty air space around Iran as more airlines make the decision to avoid the escalating war zone. Planes flying out of the UK and Singapore bound for Dubai were cancelled on Sunday to ensure the safety of passengers and crew, leaving thousands stranded in uncertainty. The chaos comes after the US military struck three nuclear facilities in Iran amid rising tensions between Israel and the Tehran capital. On Sunday President Donald Trump declared that three nuclear facilities, Fordow, Natanz, and Isfahan had been "totally obliterated" by the US strikes. As Israel and Iran continue to trade strikes in the sky despite Trump's ground-penetrating bombs, the world is now watching closely with the conflict now expected to escalate.
