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Australia raises terror threat level amid Middle East tensions
Australia has raised its terror threat level to “probable” from “possible”, citing an increase in “extremist views” in the country leading to a more than 50 percent chance of the planning of an onshore attack in the next 12 months.
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said he made the decision following advice from security services, but said there was no imminent threat of an attack.
Mike Burgess, the director general of the Australian Security Intelligence Organisation, the country’s main intelligence agency, said tensions in the Middle East, including Israel’s war on Gaza, were a contributing factor to raising the threat level.
“The conflict has fuelled grievances, promoted protests, undermined social cohesion and elevated intolerance,” he said.
Japan urges citizens to leave Lebanon
The Japanese Foreign Ministry has issued a travel warning advising its citizens in Lebanon to leave the country due to the rising tensions in the Middle East.
Many other countries made a similar announcement for their citizens.
It comes in anticipation of a response to the Israeli attacks that killed Hamas’s political chief Ismail Haniyeh in Tehran and Hezbollah commander Fuad Shukr in Beirut.
Ireland advises citizens not to travel to Israel, Lebanon, Palestine
Prime Minister Simon Harris has advised Irish citizens against travelling to Israel, Lebanon and Palestine.
He said the updated travel advice comes “due to growing instability in the region”.
Our travel advice for Israel has changed due to growing instability in the region. The government is now advising Irish citizens do not travel to Israel.
The same advice applies to Lebanon and Palestine.
— Simon Harris TD (@SimonHarrisTD) August 5, 2024
Lufthansa to avoid Iraq, Iran airspace until August 7
Germany’s Lufthansa airline says its flights will avoid Iraqi and Iranian airspace until at least August 7 due to escalating tensions in the region.
In a statement the aviation giant also said its flights to Jordan’s Amman and Iraq’s Erbil will be suspended until that date, while those to Israel’s Tel Aviv, Iran’s Tehran, and Lebanon’s Beirut will be suspended until August 12.
