Urgent 'don't travel to Israel' warning to Irish citizens after airstrikes on Iran
The Irish Government has issued a travel advisory urging citizens to avoid all non-essential travel to Israel following a series of overnight airstrikes on Iran.
The escalation in regional tensions has raised concerns about further retaliatory attacks and the potential for broader instability across the Middle East.
Both the Taoiseach and Tánaiste have said they were 'deeply concerned' after Israel launched strikes on Tehran early on Friday, targeting the country's nuclear programme and rekindling fears of a full-scale conflict. The Irish Government has issued a travel advisory urging citizens to avoid all non-essential travel to Israel following a series of overnight airstrikes on Iran.
Iran's Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, has warned that Israel should expect 'severe punishment' in response, and it was reported on Friday that drones had been launched.
This marks the most significant attack Iran has faced since its war with Iraq in the 1980s.
Taoiseach Micheal Martin has since stated that stability was needed and called for diplomacy. This picture shows a building damaged in an Israeli strike on Tehran on June 13, 2025. Israel hit about 100 targets in Iran on June 13, including nuclear facilities and military command centres and killing senior figures including the armed forces chief and top nuclear scientists. Pic: MEGHDAD MADADI/TASNIM NEWS/AFP via Getty Images
'I call on all in the Middle East to exercise the utmost restraint and to avoid further escalation,' he began. 'The region and the world need stability. Diplomacy must be the only way forward.'
Also speaking on Radio 1 this afternoon, Tanaiste Simon Harris said the 'alarming' development meant there was a risk of 'regional spillover.'
'Today we have taken a decision to update our travel advice in relation to Israel and the very clear travel advice from Ireland now is that no Irish citizen should travel to Israel. We already had such travel advice in place in relation to Iran, and today we're extending that in relation to Israel.'
Mr Harris, who is also the minister for foreign affairs, added: ' We're keeping in very close contact with our diplomatic teams on the ground in Iran and in Israel, but I would ask all Irish citizens to heed that updated travel advice.'
' This is an extraordinarily dangerous and volatile time and I'd encourage all Irish citizens to heed that advice,' he continued.
Speaking on the ongoing conflict in Palestine, Mr Harris stressed: ' What's happening at the moment in Gaza is genocide. There are children being left to starve and a two-state solution is further away than it ever has been, and now is actually the time, not for diplomatic cables, but for leadership. For leadership to make sure the starving children can get the food, much of which is parked in Jordan, and to help bring about an end to the horrific genocidal activity.
' I know that is the very, very strong view of the Irish people and it's a very strong view of the Irish government,' the Tanaiste added.
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