Foreign Minister Winston Peters urges New Zealanders to leave Lebanon and Iran ‘immediately’ and consider whether remaining in Israel is necessary

Concerns grow as Iran vows ‘harsh’ reprisals against Israel

Iran blames Israel for death of Hamas militant leader Ismail Haniyeh. Hamas’s top political leader was assassinated in Tehran in what Iran’s Revolutionary Guards say was a “terrorist operation.”

The Lebanon-based and Iran-backed militant group Hezbollah could play a significant role in retaliatory actions against Israel, to which Israel could respond.

Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guards in a statement threatened that Israel would be “severely punished at the appropriate time, place and manner” following Haniyeh’s death.

SafeTravel last updated its recommendations for Israel and the occupied Palestinian territories on August 1, adding a “do not travel” warning due to “ongoing armed conflict, terrorism and an unpredictable security situation.”

“New Zealanders currently in Gaza are advised to seek shelter in a safe place and notify the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade as travel out of Gaza is extremely difficult. The New Zealand government has very limited ability to provide assistance to New Zealand citizens in Gaza,” the SafeTravel website says.

Kiwis are advised to avoid many places in Israel and the West Bank due to civil unrest and the risk of “rocket fire and military operations” and an unstable security situation. Other places in Israel and the occupied Palestinian territories are at risk level three out of four, and Kiwis are advised to avoid non-essential travel.

Lebanon is under the fourth of four “travel ban” alert levels, last revised on July 29, due to the risk of a “further deterioration” of the security situation.

“As there is no New Zealand diplomatic mission in Lebanon, the New Zealand government’s ability to assist New Zealand citizens is severely limited,” SafeTravel warns.

Iran is also at alert level four of four due to the security situation.

“New Zealanders currently in Iran, including dual nationals, are strongly advised to consider leaving the country as soon as possible,” the official travel advisory reads.

The UK Government this morning appealed to British citizens in Lebanon to leave the country immediately, fearing the situation could “rapidly deteriorate”.

British Foreign Secretary David Lammy said in a statement that tensions were high: “While we are working around the clock to strengthen our consular presence in Lebanon, my message to British nationals there is clear – leave now.”

Lammy and Defence Secretary John Healey visited the Middle East, including Lebanon, earlier this week to appeal for stability.

“As I said to Middle East leaders this week, de-escalation must be the primary goal in the region and we call on all to reduce tensions. There must be an end to the fighting, an immediate ceasefire in Gaza, the release of all hostages and a diplomatic path to peace and security,” Healey said.

US President Joe Biden was asked if there was a chance Iran would calm down as tensions rise, Sky News reports Biden replied: “I hope so. I don’t know.”

The United States has backed Israel’s defense after Hezbollah attacks earlier this week. The U.S. has sent fighter jets to the Middle East to “defend” Israel and deal with potential escalations — escalations that Western governments say are becoming increasingly likely, with updated travel advisories becoming more stringent and urgent.

The United Nations refugee agency for Palestine, UNRWA, said yesterday that the situation in the West Bank was “deteriorating by the day.”

“The actions of the Israeli Security Forces continue to cause destruction and endanger lives in the area. This ‘silent war’ must end,” the agency added, saying the camps were suffering from water shortages, power outages and malnutrition.

The latest Israeli attacks killed 15 Palestinians at a Gaza school that was sheltering displaced people. The attacks came just hours after nine Hamas fighters were killed. Meanwhile, Hezbollah fired some 50 rockets into northern Israel overnight.

UNRWA cited an assessment by the Global Education Cluster, an organisation working with Unicef ​​and Save the Children, which said 85% of school buildings in Gaza were directly hit or damaged.

The Middle East war has claimed the lives of thousands of Palestinians. On October 7, Hamas-backed attacks killed more than 1,000 and took hundreds hostage.

New Zealand’s Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade has been asked to comment on the rising tensions and the latest travel advice.

Azaria Howell is a Wellington-based multimedia reporter with an eye on the region. She joined NZME in 2022 and covers council decisions, public service agency reform and transport.