Over 100 Australians Stranded in Dubai After Israel Mercy Flight

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More than 100 Australians and their families were flown out of Tel Aviv overnight as part of a Defence-led evacuation — but now they’ll have to find their own way home from Dubai.

The Australian Defence Force helped carry out the flight from Israel, getting 119 people out of the danger zone. But once they landed safely in Dubai, the next leg of the journey was up to them.

According to the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT), that’s just how the process works for now.

Treasurer Jim Chalmers thanked the teams working behind the scenes to make these rescue flights happen.

“I pay tribute to the people from DFAT and Defence who’ve been working hard with Ministers Wong and Marles to get people out of harm’s way,” he said.

But not everyone’s been so lucky.

Some Australians are still stuck in the Middle East — especially in Doha, after a US military base in Qatar was hit by missile strikes. That attack caused widespread flight cancellations, leaving many stranded at airports with no clear plan.

Australian Matthew Woosnam and his wife Melanie, who are in Doha, shared their frustration on Today.

“I saw people get told they were rebooked, then five minutes later that flight’s cancelled,” he said. “Then it’s back in the queue for another four hours.”

Meanwhile, Australians in both Iran and Israel are still registering with DFAT for help as the 12-day conflict between Israel and Iran continues.

Photos released overnight show smiling Aussies finally leaving Tel Aviv, grateful to be on safer ground. But for many others, the uncertainty remains.

Overnight, Israel’s airspace temporarily reopened, which allowed some commercial flights to resume. But there are still lots of restrictions, and seats are limited. The Australian government is urging citizens to keep checking with airlines, especially if they already have a ticket — it could be the quickest route home.

Foreign Minister Penny Wong also confirmed that Australia has support staff positioned at the Azerbaijan border, helping those trying to flee Iran by land.

“This is a very risky and precarious situation,” Wong said. “My heart goes out to Australians in Iran and Israel — and to the friends and families back home who are deeply worried about them.”

She confirmed consular officers are still on the ground helping where they can.

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