Australia has begun evacuating its citizens from Israel and Iran as direct conflict between the two rivals enters its seventh day.
Foreign Minister Penny Wong confirmed Thursday that Australia successfully moved a small group out of Israel by land the day prior and hopes to evacuate despite what she called an “increasingly dangerous” situation.
“In relation to Australians in the region and what I would say is this is a very stressful and risky situation, and we are very focused on doing whatever we can to assist you,” Wong said. “Obviously, there are real limits, hard limits, on what the government can do. The airspace remains closed.”
Of the nearly 3,000 Australians registered for help in the region, 1,500 are in Iran and 1,200 are in Israel, Wong confirmed. Australians seeking assistance are urged to register with the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade as emergency consular assistance remains available for citizens.
On Friday, Israel launched surprise strikes on Iranian nuclear facilities, cutting short negotiations between Iran and the United States over Iran’s nuclear program. The opening hours saw targeted assassinations of military and civilian personnel, airstrikes on nuclear and military facilities, and destruction of Iran’s air defenses.
Iran has since retaliated by launching hundreds of ballistic missiles at Israel. This morning at least 65 people were wounded in the latest wave of strikes, including three in serious condition. Israeli police reported impacts at multiple locations across central Israel as air raid sirens wailed nationwide, with the Israeli Defense Forces urging the public to stay near bomb shelters “until further notice.” Soroka Medical Center in Beersheba was also hit, forcing the evacuation of 20 patients.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu responded by vowing retaliation. “We will exact the full price from the tyrants in Tehran,” he said, while Defense Minister Israel Katz said both he and Netanyahu had “instructed the IDF to increase the intensity of attacks” in Iran.
Meanwhile, Ben Gurion Airport has remained closed to all commercial arrivals. However, EL AL along with three other smaller Israeli-owned airlines launched repatriation flights Wednesday to bring home an estimated 100,000 to 150,000 stranded citizens, with the first rescue flight landing from Cyprus.
Under security restrictions, only two repatriation flights per hour are allowed for each airline, operating only during daylight hours due to repeated nighttime missile barrages from Iran.
Source link
