'Do not travel' to Lebanon amid unrest, Australian government advises

Key Points

On Sunday, the government advised people to “reconsider the need to travel” to the Middle Eastern country.
Their advice has now been updated to “do not travel” amid fears the Hamas-Israel war could spread to another front.
Recent clashes at Israel’s northern border with Lebanon were the deadliest they have been in 17 years.

The Australian government has updated its travel guidance for Lebanon and is now advising “do not travel” to the country as its volatile security situation risks deteriorating further.

On Sunday, the government advised people to “reconsider the need to travel” to the Middle Eastern country, amid fears the Hamas-Israel war could spread to another front, with clashes at Israel’s northern border with Lebanon the deadliest they have been in 17 years.

Foreign Affairs Minister Penny Wong has urged any Australians in the Middle Eastern country to leave.

“The government has serious concerns for the security situation in Lebanon,” she told parliament on Thursday.

“If you are an Australian in Lebanon, you should consider leaving now if it is safe to do so.”

The Australian government’s Smartraveller platform provided an update recommending travellers who wish to leave Lebanon should do so via the first available commercial option.

“Airports may pause operations with little notice due to heightened security concerns. This may cause flight delays or cancellations for a sustained period,” the update read.

The government’s ability to assist departures in Lebanon “will be very limited in a deteriorating security situation,” it said.

With airports likely to pause operations with little notice, travellers have been told to book the first available flight home while commercial options are available.

Lebanese security forces fired tear gas and water cannons at protesters throwing projectiles near the US embassy in Beirut, during protests against Israel , TV footage showed.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s government has told Lebanese militant group Hezbollah not to start a war on a second front, threatening the “destruction of Lebanon” if it did.

The group it was “thousands of times stronger” than before, as it continued to exchange fire across the Israeli border, and announced two of its fighters had been killed.