Foreign Minister Penny Wong says Australia is "alarmed" by the escalation in tensions between Israel and Iran.

Nonetheless, this is an extremely dangerous moment in the Middle East. The Iranian regime, pushed to desperation, may very well lash out in ways that are not yet clear. Some of Iran’s missiles are finding targets in Israel. And if it holds on to power, Iran’s regime will surely try to reconstitute its nuclear program and race towards weapons.

The upgraded travel warning comes after Iran retaliated against an Israeli attack — part of an operation that will last "as many days as it takes", to end what Israel says is Iran's nuclear threat.

Former Olympian and senator Nova Peris, along with other Australians, sought shelter in Israel after Iran launched missile attacks in retaliation for Israeli strikes on Iranian nuclear sites. Peris, part of a group including Indigenous leaders,

Explosions have been heard in Iran with Israel claiming it has attacked the country’s capital Tehran. Israeli Defence Minister Israel Katz announced a “special situation” in Israel. He said its schools would be closed on Friday.

Australia's Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said condemnation by the U.S. and Israel of sanctions imposed on two far-right Israeli cabinet ministers was "predictable", and that the two men had impeded a two-state solution.

Iranian media reported that Israel struck the South Pars Gas Field in what would be the first attack on an Iranian energy site.