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Australia tells citizens to depart Israel, Palestinian territories
"We urge Australians in both Israel or the Occupied Palestinian Territories to depart if it's safe to do so," the Department of Foreign Affairs said in a travel advisory update.
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Australia's Prime Minister Anthony Albanese reacts as he speaks during a media conference at Parliament House in Canberra on October 14, 2023. Australians have roundly rejected greater rights for Indigenous citizens, scuppering plans to amend the country's 122-year-old constitution after a divisive and racially-tinged referendum campaign.
(AFP/David Gray)
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ustralia on Friday told its citizens to leave Israel if possible, citing a "high threat of military reprisals and terrorist attacks", issuing a similar warning for the Palestinian territories.
"We urge Australians in both Israel or the Occupied Palestinian Territories to depart if it's safe to do so," the Department of Foreign Affairs said in a travel advisory update.
Australia's government had previously told citizens to avoid travel to both areas if possible and, if concerned, to leave.
This more urgent warning came as Israel and Iran traded direct aerial barrages, dramatically escalating animosities after years of indirect and covert clashes.
"Military attacks may result in airspace closures, flight cancellations and diversions and other travel disruptions," Australia's diplomats said.
"Tel Aviv's Ben Gurion International Airport may pause operations due to heightened security concerns at any time, and at short notice."
On Friday, Israel attacked Iran, three people familiar with the matter said, as Iranian state media reported early on Friday that its forces had destroyed drones, days after Iran launched a retaliatory drone strike on Israel.
One source told Reuters the US was not involved but was notified by Israel before the attack.
Iran's Fars news agency reported three explosions were heard near an army base in the central city of Isfahan. An Iranian official told Reuters there was no missile attack and the explosions were the result of the activation of Iran's air defense systems.
Iranian state TV said that shortly after midnight "three drones were observed in the sky over Isfahan. The air defense system became active and destroyed these drones in the sky."
The broadcaster later said the situation in Isfahan was normal and no ground explosions had occurred.
