Lucy Finter left Sydney for London on Saturday and was "completely oblivious" of the US and Israeli air strikes launched on Iran - killing its leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei - until she landed in Dubai for a stopover.
All flights were suddenly cancelled when she arrived at the Dubai International Airport, which erupted into chaos and was damaged after being hit by strikes.
"No one knew what was going on, then we checked the news online and saw missiles had been fired and the airspace had been closed," the Australian woman told AAP.
Ms Finter and her partner, from the UK, both filled out repatriation forms from the UK and Australian governments, but are yet to hear anything further.
"There's little to no communication, which is understandable because this is unprecedented," Ms Finter said, hoping to return to either Australia or the UK.
"I'm trying to remain calm, but then I hear another missile."
Ms Finter said she burst into tears when she read US President Donald Trump's remarks on Monday that the war in Iran would take "four weeks or so".
"It's just the uncertainty, wondering how long we're going to be here," she said.
Mr Trump's four-week time frame was precise, but depended on variables outside of his control, said David Smith, a professor of American politics and foreign policy at the University of Sydney.
"Trump has a tendency to describe things in very optimistic terms," Dr Smith said.
"It's really going to depend on how the Iranian regime responds. A lot of this is quite unpredictable."
It was unlikely Mr Trump expected Australia to become involved in the conflict as he wanted "a limited military action", Dr Smith said.
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said there had been no requests for the Australian military to be involved.
"It's a long way from Australia, and we are not big players in the Middle East," he told ABC's 7.30 program.
He said it was inappropriate for events mourning Ayatollah Khamenei to go ahead, after reports four Shia mosques and Islamic centres in Australia planned vigils.
"Overwhelmingly, people won't be participating," Mr Albanese said.
The prime minister earlier advised Australians to not travel to Iran and to leave as soon as possible if safe to do so.
"The registration portal is now open for Australians seeking assistance in Israel, Iran, the UAE and Qatar," he said in parliament on Monday.
Defence Minister Richard Marles expected commercial flights would come online first when travel started to reopen.
"Airspace across the Middle East is currently blacked out, and so there is no air travel at all," he said.
Foreign Minister Penny Wong said there were about 115,000 Australians in the Middle East.
The Albanese government has repeatedly declined to say whether the military intervention was legal under international law.
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