A group of 15 Irish citizens and their dependants have been evacuated from Israel, the Irish government has said.

Tánaiste (deputy Irish prime minister) Simon Harris said the Irish citizens left Israel on Sunday and were expected to arrive in Ireland in the coming days.

They were evacuated in an operation organised by Austria, one of Ireland’s EU partners, Harris added.

The evacuation comes as Israel and Iran continue to trade missile strikes and the US launched an attack on Iranian nuclear sites.

“Throughout this crisis, the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade and our Embassy in Tel Aviv have remained in regular contact with Irish citizens in the region,” Harris said.

“I would like to thank the government of Austria for the close cooperation which resulted in today’s successful evacuation.

“I would also like to thank our consular response teams in Tel Aviv, Dublin and across the Middle East who continue to support Irish citizens in the region.”

Earlier, the tánaiste said a “small number” of citizens also want to leave Iran, and work was under way to get them out too.

The Dublin government, Harris said, was urging Irish citizens in both Israel and Iran to “remain vigilant, to monitor developments and media, and to follow advice from the authorities, including when this is to shelter in place”.

“All citizens in the region should register with the nearest Irish Embassy, if they have not already done so,” he said.

‘Grave concern’

Harris added: “Our embassies will remain in close contact with all citizens in Israel and Iran over the days and weeks ahead. Our wider political work on the developing situation also continues.”

The deputy prime minister said he had spoken on Sunday to Iran’s deputy foreign minister Majid Takht-Ravanchi.

“I expressed grave concern at the developments overnight, strongly urged restraint and shared the view that it was not in the interests of the Iranian people or the Middle East as a region for hostilities to escalate,” Harris said.

He said Ireland had a long-standing commitment to nuclear disarmament, adding that concerns about Iran’s nuclear programme should be addressed through dialogue.