In brief
- The travel advice level for Oman, Jordan and Saudi Arabia has been upgraded to 'reconsider your need to travel'.
- It comes after a shaky ceasefire between the US and Iran collapsed earlier this month.
The government is urging Australians to reconsider travel to Oman, Jordan and Saudi Arabia amid re-escalating conflict in the Middle East.
The latest advice on the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade's Smartraveller website said the situation in the Middle East "remains unpredictable" and there is "risk of more attacks and escalation".
"Military conflict in the Middle East has also caused widespread fuel supply shortages, flight cancellations and other travel disruptions worldwide," it said.
"Your travel plans may be affected, even if your destination is not in the Middle East."
The warning noted that military strikes and reprisal attacks have been carried out in a number of locations across the Middle East in recent days, including those directed at targets in each of the three countries.
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Oman, Jordan and Saudi Arabia have been upgraded to level three, which advises Australians to reconsider their need to travel and avoid non-essential travel there.
Level three, according to the site's warning system, indicates serious and potentially life-threatening risks that can make a location unsafe for tourism and unsuitable for most travellers.
"We now advise 'reconsider your need to travel' overall due to the unpredictable security situation," Smartraveller said.
The three nations join Bahrain, Israel, Kuwait, Qatar and the United Arab Emirates at level three.
Iran, Iraq, Lebanon, the Palestinian territories, Syria and Yemen remain at the highest alert level, which advises Australians not to travel there at all.
For Australians already in the Middle East who want to leave, the government continues to advise them to do so while commercial flights are available if it's safe to travel to an airport.
A fragile ceasefire between the US and Iran has deteriorated this month. The warring nations have been exchanging strikes for days, pushing global oil prices upwards again, shocking markets and triggering renewed fears of a prolonged conflict.
On Monday, Yemen's Iran-aligned Houthis declared a naval blockade against Saudi Arabia, raising alarm of further disruption to global trade and potentially opening a new front in the broader regional conflict.
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