The Australian government is offering to evacuate the families of Australian diplomats and officials from some of its missions in the Middle East, with the prospect of US strikes on Iran leaving the region on high alert, APA reports.
The Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade says the "voluntary departures" include posts in Israel, Lebanon, Jordan, Qatar and the United Arab Emirates.
"We continue to advise exercise a high degree of caution in these destinations," DFAT said.
"Conflicts in the Middle East could result in airspace closures, flight cancellations and other travel disruptions."
The department issued specific warnings to Australians in Israel and Lebanon, urging people to "consider leaving while commercial options to depart are still available".
US President Donald Trump used his State of the Union address to repeat his threats to Iran ahead of another round of indirect talks between the two sides in Geneva on Thursday.
"My preference is to solve this problem through diplomacy," he said.
"But one thing is certain, I will never allow the world's number one sponsor of terror, which they are by far, to have a nuclear weapon — can't let that happen.
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