Australia orders non-essential officials to leave Israel, UAE amid security fears

Australia has ordered non-essential officials posted to Israel and the United Arab Emirates to leave as Iran’s new supreme leader vows “revenge” for Iranians killed in the spiralling Middle East conflict.

“The Australian government has directed the departure of non-essential Australian officials posted to Israel and the UAE, due to the deteriorating security situation,” Foreign Minister Penny Wong posted on social media overnight.

“Essential Australian officials will remain in-country to support Australians who need it.”

The move came as Iran’s Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei fired of a string of social media posts in his first-ever public comments as supreme leader.

Mr Khamenei was appointed supreme leader on March 8 after his father, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, was killed in the first day of joint US-Israeli strikes.

Noting his family’s losses, which also include his wife and sister, Mr Khamenei vowed to avenge Iranians killed in the conflict.

“I assure everyone that we won’t forgo avenging the blood of your martyrs,” he said.

“A limited portion of this revenge for the blood of our martyrs can already be seen.

“But until we completely take revenge, this file will remain on top of all the others.”

Speaking at the White House, US President Donald Trump repeated his claim that the war was going to plan.

“The situation with Iran is moving along very rapidly. It’s doing very well,” he said.

“Our military is unsurpassed. There’s never been anything like it, nobody’s ever seen anything like it.

“And we’re doing what has to be done, should have been done during a 47-year period. Could have been done by a lot of different people.”

Two more flights carrying 307 Australians and permanent residents home from the UAE are scheduled to land in Melbourne and Sydney on Friday morning, with a further four scheduled for the evening, depending on airspace staying open.