Australia ‘alarmed’ by escalation between Israel and Iran

Australia foreign minister Penny Wong said on Friday she was alarmed by the escalation in tensions between Israel and Iran, after Israel said it had struck dozens of targets inside Iran.

“Australia is alarmed by the escalation between Israel and Iran,” Wong told a news conference.

“This risks further destabilizing a region that is already volatile.”

Australians in the region should monitor government advisories from Canberra on travel in the Middle East, she added.

Israel said early on Friday that it struck Iran, and Iranian media said explosions were heard in Tehran as tensions mounted over US efforts to win Iran’s agreement to halt production of material for an atomic bomb.