Overview
- DFAT’s Smartraveller raised Oman and Qatar to exercise a high degree of caution in a Thursday update citing an unpredictable security environment.
- Australians are told not to travel to Iraq, Yemen or the occupied Palestinian territories, to reconsider travel to Israel and Lebanon, and to exercise caution in Bahrain, Saudi Arabia, Jordan, Kuwait, Türkiye and the UAE; travel to Iran is discouraged with those still there urged to leave as soon as possible.
- Iran temporarily closed its airspace to all flights except permitted international services, according to an FAA-posted notice that initially set a two‑hour restriction subject to extension.
- Lufthansa Group said it will avoid Iranian and Iraqi airspace until further notice, shift Israel and Jordan routes to daytime with no crew overnights, and cancel some services, while Air India announced reroutes and cancellations; Flightradar24 reported regional airspace disruptions.
- DFAT noted media reports that some personnel were advised to leave Qatar’s Al Udeid Air Base on January 14, with broader US force movements reported as precautionary.