Micah Jonah, March 9, 2026
The government of Australia has advised the families and dependants of its diplomatic staff in the United Arab Emirates to leave the country as tensions in the Middle East intensify.
The move follows reports that several cities in the Gulf region have come under bombardment by Iran amid the widening conflict involving the United States and Israel.
Australian Foreign Minister, Penny Wong said the security situation in the region had significantly deteriorated.
“Our travel advice has been updated to reflect that direction. We continue to advise Australians not to travel to the UAE,” Wong wrote in a post on social media.
According to the government, more than 1,700 Australians have already returned home on commercial flights from the UAE since the conflict began about 10 days ago.
Officials estimate that roughly 115,000 Australians were in the Middle East when the crisis erupted.
Meanwhile, US President, Donald Trump said he is not seeking negotiations to end the US-Israeli military strikes on Iran. The conflict has pushed global energy prices higher, disrupted business activity and caused major air travel delays across the region.
Australia, a close ally of the United States, has stated it does not plan to deploy troops to the Middle East if the conflict escalates further. However, officials said the government is considering requests to assist regional partners in defending against Iranian drones and missile attacks.
The situation remains volatile as international governments reassess security measures and evacuation plans for their citizens in the region.
