Live Update 
From the Liveblog of
Friday, March 13, 2026
From the Liveblog of
Friday, March 13, 2026
Australia instructs all non-essential officials to leave Israel and the UAE
Add ToI as a Preferred Source on GoogleAustralia has ordered all non-essential officials in Israel and the United Arab Emirates to leave due to the “deteriorating security situation,” Canberra’s top diplomat says.
In a post on X, Foreign Minister Penny Wong says that “essential Australian officials will remain in-country to support Australians who need it.”
The Australian government continues to advise that its citizens not travel to Israel and the UAE, she adds.
“We urge you to leave the Middle East if you can and if it’s safe to do so,” she says.
“Don’t wait until it’s too late. It may be the last chance for some time.”
Canberra has said there are about 115,000 Australian nationals across the Middle East, of whom about 2,600 have returned home.
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