The escalating tensions in the Middle East have been on people’s minds worldwide. With nations and airlines making changes to protect their customers and citizens, there have been many updates even in recent months. One recent update has made waves in international relations. Australia’s Lebanon travel advisory is the latest of a series of travel considerations for people planning to go abroad. This advisory issued by the federal government has marked an escalation in the ongoing situation. It has also provided travelers with a new set of explicit guidelines.
What Travelers Should Know About Australia’s Lebanon Travel Advisory
In late July, the Australian government’s travel advisory Smartraveller.gov.au updated its Lebanon advisory page. This advisory recommended that citizens do not travel to Lebanon. Since then, the government has been monitoring the situation. Even in recent updates, the country has been consistent with its recommendations. In fact, the travel advisory has labeled Lebanon as a ‘Do Not Travel’ country since October 2023. For travelers, this is the most serious advisory category that the government can label a country. The situation has escalated recently as the Australian government has begun to urge its citizens to leave Lebanon urgently. They can even sign up for a Smartraveler subscription to get the latest news on the situation and any changes in the travel advisory.
Why The Australian Government Has Issued the Travel Advisory
The Australian government has urged travelers to leave Lebanon as soon as possible due to the civil unrest and potential violence they may endure. Australia’s government describes the deteriorating security situation as volatile and unpredictable. Although there are Australian embassies in Lebanon, the government doubts its ability to evacuate an estimated 15,000 to 30,000 Australians from the country suddenly, according to the Australian Broadcasting Corporation.
There has been more than one incident that justifies the country’s response. The assassination of Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh in Iran and the killing of a top Hezbollah commander in the country have worsened conditions. Following these events, there have been some commercial flights still operating but that may change. This situation has prompted the Australian government to get its citizens out of Lebanon and issue a travel advisory.
The Impacts Of The Travel Advisory On Travelers
If the situation worsens, Australians could be stranded or find themselves in dangerous situations since the political and civil tensions seemingly continue to rise. The Foreign Minister of Australia, Penny Wong, has even released a video to alert citizens of the consequences of not evacuating Lebanon. While it has yet to happen, the Foreign Minister warns about the possibility of people getting stuck in the country. With escalating tension, it may very well be possible that airports in the popular capital city of Beirut shut down. Another possibility is that GPS signals could be disrupted, so travel on a minor and major scale could be harder.
