Australian PM advises citizens to leave Lebanon

Australia’s Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has urged all Australians currently in Lebanon to leave the country. On Tuesday, Albanese announced that the official government advice is for Australians to avoid traveling to Lebanon due to the escalating conflict between Israel and Hezbollah.

“The travel advice is very clear: don’t go to Lebanon,” he stated. “Australians currently there should take advantage of the commercial flights available to leave.”

On Monday, Australia’s Smartraveller service, operated by the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT), issued a renewed warning against traveling to Lebanon, citing the unstable security situation. The service advised Australians in Lebanon to leave immediately, noting that the security situation could worsen rapidly and without warning.

Several airlines suspended flights to and from Beirut on Monday due to the security concerns. “This is a troubling area. We have been issuing these travel warnings for many months now, and it is crucial that people heed these warnings,” Albanese added.

According to the 2021 Australian census, over 248,000 Australians have Lebanese ancestry, including 87,343 who were born in Lebanon. DFAT estimates that approximately 15,000 Australians normally reside in Lebanon.