Australia has ordered all non essential government staff to leave Israel, the United Arab Emirates and Lebanon due to the rapidly worsening security situation in the Middle East following the ongoing US Israeli war on Iran.
Australian Foreign Minister Penny Wong said in a statement posted on social media that the employees were instructed to depart because of the deteriorating security environment.
She added that essential Australian staff would remain in the countries to assist Australians who may need support.
Wong also renewed travel warnings for Australian citizens. She said the government continues to advise Australians not to travel to Israel or the United Arab Emirates and urged those currently in the region to leave the Middle East if they are able to do so safely.
In a related development, Reuters reported on Friday that Australia had also issued instructions for non essential Australian officials working in Lebanon to depart.
The move follows an earlier decision by the Australian government, taken before the outbreak of the war on February 28, to evacuate the families of Australian officials stationed in Israel and Lebanon.
Voluntary departures were also offered to dependents of diplomats in the UAE, Jordan and Qatar.
The conflict has prompted thousands of Australians to leave the region. The government said on Tuesday that more than 2,600 Australian citizens had returned home on commercial flights. Wong noted that the vast majority of Australians who were stranded in the region when the war began have now returned safely.
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