The Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade has urged Australians in Lebanon to either leave immediately or find long-term safe shelter in the country, as conflict continues to escalate in the Middle East.
The call comes as the Australian government works on contingency plans to evacuate its citizens, warning that it may not be able to accommodate the estimated 15-thousand Australians in the country.
Australians in Lebanon have been told to take any available option to evacuate, as the security situation worsens, with missile strikes increasing across the region.
Several airlines have suspended or diverted flights due to safety concerns.
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has called for a ceasefire and de-escalation, condemning Iran’s missile attacks on Israel, and noted that Isarel has a right to defend itself.
In Australia, weekly pro-Palestinian protests in some capital cities are expected to escalate on the weekend, amid the emerging situation in Lebanon, with organisers emphasising their democratic right to protest.