Iranians in Australia feel powerless as conflict rages
Rozita Hassaniserkani is worried her father in Iran will forget her before she can see him again.
It was several days after Israel's initial strikes on Iran before she could make contact with her family in Tehran.
"I didn't have anything from them and it was so stressful," she told AAP.
"They are OK but there are so many people, so many innocent people, killed in the last few days and it's really sad.
"When you know your loved one or your country is in danger ... and you can't do anything, I think it's the worst feeling anyone can experience."
Ms Hassaniserkani - who came to Australia in 2012 - planned to visit Iran in July to see her father, who has Alzheimer's disease.
"He might forget me if I don't see him soon," she said.
"I was crying like a child and saying ,'Why (should) these kind of things happen in this world, when everybody can live in peace?'"
Israeli strikes on Iran have killed at least 639 people and wounded 1329 others, the Washington-based group Human Rights Activists says.
Israel says at least 24 civilians have been killed by retaliatory strikes.
Australians in Iran have been advised to shelter in place if they can't leave safely, while the government has already evacuated some citizens from Israel via Jordan.
Iranian refugee Nazanin Jebeli said the past week had been difficult.
"I'm worried for my people, but at the same time, Iranian women, they're looking for peace, and that's what matters," she told AAP.
"Iranian people, no matter what, history has always showed that they had each other's back in difficult times and we support each other."
US President Donald Trump has demanded that Iran unconditionally surrender, saying he knew where Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei was hiding.
Iran has warned of "all-out war" if the US joins the fray.
Foreign Minister Penny Wong has urged Iran to resume negotiations to discontinue any nuclear program following Israel's attempts to wipe out the Islamic republic's missile capabilities, claiming it was on the verge of developing nuclear weapons.
Ms Hassaniserkani and Ms Jebeli are among the group of people featured in Archibald Packing Room Prize-winning artist Kathrin Longhurst's exhibition Collective Threads: A Public Presence, which opened at Sydney's Cato Gallery on Thursday.
Ms Longhurst - born in East Germany during the Cold War - related to living in an oppressive regime and said working with the Iranian women had proved inspiring and empowering.
The project stemmed from protests in 2022 over the death of Iranian woman Mahsa Amini, but has taken on additional significance in recent days.
"I know there's a lot of anxiety in the Iranian community but this whole body of work has been about people supporting each other, women supporting women," Ms Longhurst said.
Rozita Hassaniserkani is worried her father in Iran will forget her before she can see him again.
It was several days after Israel's initial strikes on Iran before she could make contact with her family in Tehran.
"I didn't have anything from them and it was so stressful," she told AAP.
"They are OK but there are so many people, so many innocent people, killed in the last few days and it's really sad.
"When you know your loved one or your country is in danger ... and you can't do anything, I think it's the worst feeling anyone can experience."
Ms Hassaniserkani - who came to Australia in 2012 - planned to visit Iran in July to see her father, who has Alzheimer's disease.
"He might forget me if I don't see him soon," she said.
"I was crying like a child and saying ,'Why (should) these kind of things happen in this world, when everybody can live in peace?'"
Israeli strikes on Iran have killed at least 639 people and wounded 1329 others, the Washington-based group Human Rights Activists says.
Israel says at least 24 civilians have been killed by retaliatory strikes.
Australians in Iran have been advised to shelter in place if they can't leave safely, while the government has already evacuated some citizens from Israel via Jordan.
Iranian refugee Nazanin Jebeli said the past week had been difficult.
"I'm worried for my people, but at the same time, Iranian women, they're looking for peace, and that's what matters," she told AAP.
"Iranian people, no matter what, history has always showed that they had each other's back in difficult times and we support each other."
US President Donald Trump has demanded that Iran unconditionally surrender, saying he knew where Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei was hiding.
Iran has warned of "all-out war" if the US joins the fray.
Foreign Minister Penny Wong has urged Iran to resume negotiations to discontinue any nuclear program following Israel's attempts to wipe out the Islamic republic's missile capabilities, claiming it was on the verge of developing nuclear weapons.
Ms Hassaniserkani and Ms Jebeli are among the group of people featured in Archibald Packing Room Prize-winning artist Kathrin Longhurst's exhibition Collective Threads: A Public Presence, which opened at Sydney's Cato Gallery on Thursday.
Ms Longhurst - born in East Germany during the Cold War - related to living in an oppressive regime and said working with the Iranian women had proved inspiring and empowering.
The project stemmed from protests in 2022 over the death of Iranian woman Mahsa Amini, but has taken on additional significance in recent days.
"I know there's a lot of anxiety in the Iranian community but this whole body of work has been about people supporting each other, women supporting women," Ms Longhurst said.
Rozita Hassaniserkani is worried her father in Iran will forget her before she can see him again.
It was several days after Israel's initial strikes on Iran before she could make contact with her family in Tehran.
"I didn't have anything from them and it was so stressful," she told AAP.
"They are OK but there are so many people, so many innocent people, killed in the last few days and it's really sad.
"When you know your loved one or your country is in danger ... and you can't do anything, I think it's the worst feeling anyone can experience."
Ms Hassaniserkani - who came to Australia in 2012 - planned to visit Iran in July to see her father, who has Alzheimer's disease.
"He might forget me if I don't see him soon," she said.
"I was crying like a child and saying ,'Why (should) these kind of things happen in this world, when everybody can live in peace?'"
Israeli strikes on Iran have killed at least 639 people and wounded 1329 others, the Washington-based group Human Rights Activists says.
Israel says at least 24 civilians have been killed by retaliatory strikes.
Australians in Iran have been advised to shelter in place if they can't leave safely, while the government has already evacuated some citizens from Israel via Jordan.
Iranian refugee Nazanin Jebeli said the past week had been difficult.
"I'm worried for my people, but at the same time, Iranian women, they're looking for peace, and that's what matters," she told AAP.
"Iranian people, no matter what, history has always showed that they had each other's back in difficult times and we support each other."
US President Donald Trump has demanded that Iran unconditionally surrender, saying he knew where Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei was hiding.
Iran has warned of "all-out war" if the US joins the fray.
Foreign Minister Penny Wong has urged Iran to resume negotiations to discontinue any nuclear program following Israel's attempts to wipe out the Islamic republic's missile capabilities, claiming it was on the verge of developing nuclear weapons.
Ms Hassaniserkani and Ms Jebeli are among the group of people featured in Archibald Packing Room Prize-winning artist Kathrin Longhurst's exhibition Collective Threads: A Public Presence, which opened at Sydney's Cato Gallery on Thursday.
Ms Longhurst - born in East Germany during the Cold War - related to living in an oppressive regime and said working with the Iranian women had proved inspiring and empowering.
The project stemmed from protests in 2022 over the death of Iranian woman Mahsa Amini, but has taken on additional significance in recent days.
"I know there's a lot of anxiety in the Iranian community but this whole body of work has been about people supporting each other, women supporting women," Ms Longhurst said.
Rozita Hassaniserkani is worried her father in Iran will forget her before she can see him again.
It was several days after Israel's initial strikes on Iran before she could make contact with her family in Tehran.
"I didn't have anything from them and it was so stressful," she told AAP.
"They are OK but there are so many people, so many innocent people, killed in the last few days and it's really sad.
"When you know your loved one or your country is in danger ... and you can't do anything, I think it's the worst feeling anyone can experience."
Ms Hassaniserkani - who came to Australia in 2012 - planned to visit Iran in July to see her father, who has Alzheimer's disease.
"He might forget me if I don't see him soon," she said.
"I was crying like a child and saying ,'Why (should) these kind of things happen in this world, when everybody can live in peace?'"
Israeli strikes on Iran have killed at least 639 people and wounded 1329 others, the Washington-based group Human Rights Activists says.
Israel says at least 24 civilians have been killed by retaliatory strikes.
Australians in Iran have been advised to shelter in place if they can't leave safely, while the government has already evacuated some citizens from Israel via Jordan.
Iranian refugee Nazanin Jebeli said the past week had been difficult.
"I'm worried for my people, but at the same time, Iranian women, they're looking for peace, and that's what matters," she told AAP.
"Iranian people, no matter what, history has always showed that they had each other's back in difficult times and we support each other."
US President Donald Trump has demanded that Iran unconditionally surrender, saying he knew where Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei was hiding.
Iran has warned of "all-out war" if the US joins the fray.
Foreign Minister Penny Wong has urged Iran to resume negotiations to discontinue any nuclear program following Israel's attempts to wipe out the Islamic republic's missile capabilities, claiming it was on the verge of developing nuclear weapons.
Ms Hassaniserkani and Ms Jebeli are among the group of people featured in Archibald Packing Room Prize-winning artist Kathrin Longhurst's exhibition Collective Threads: A Public Presence, which opened at Sydney's Cato Gallery on Thursday.
Ms Longhurst - born in East Germany during the Cold War - related to living in an oppressive regime and said working with the Iranian women had proved inspiring and empowering.
The project stemmed from protests in 2022 over the death of Iranian woman Mahsa Amini, but has taken on additional significance in recent days.
"I know there's a lot of anxiety in the Iranian community but this whole body of work has been about people supporting each other, women supporting women," Ms Longhurst said.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Perth Now
an hour ago
- Perth Now
Wall St edges up,Trump's Mideast decision in focus
Wall Street's main indexes have nudged higher, tracking strength in global stocks after President Donald Trump held off from making an immediate decision on US involvement in the Israel-Iran war. Trump will take a call in the next two weeks, the White House said on Thursday, as hostilities between the two Middle Eastern countries approached their second week. Markets have been on edge as Trump has kept the world guessing on his plans - veering from proposing a swift diplomatic solution to suggesting the US might join the fight as Israel aims to suppress Tehran's ability to build nuclear weapons. A senior Iranian official told Reuters Tehran was ready to discuss limitations on its uranium enrichment, but zero enrichment will be rejected "especially now under Israel's strikes". Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi has arrived in Geneva to meet European counterparts, who are hoping to establish a path back to diplomacy. "Any news flow that's going to lean in the direction of de-escalation is going to be a market positive and we're seeing that to a certain extent here," said Art Hogan, chief market strategist at B. Riley Wealth. Concerns about price pressures in the US were also in focus after Federal Reserve policymakers on Wednesday warned inflation could pick up pace over the summer as the economic effects of Trump's steep import tariffs kick in. They kept interest rates unchanged. On Friday, Fed governor Chris Waller said the central bank should consider cutting interest rates at its next meeting given recent tame inflation data and because any price shock from tariffs will be short-lived. In early trading on Friday, the Dow Jones Industrial Average rose 123.38 points, or 0.29 per cent, to 42,295.04, the S&P 500 gained 13.34 points, or 0.22 per cent, to 5,994.21 and the Nasdaq Composite gained 38.74 points, or 0.20 per cent, to 19,585.01. Nine of the 11 major S&P 500 sub-sectors rose. Real estate led sector gains with a 0.7 per cent rise. On the flip side, healthcare stocks lost 0.5 per cent. All three main indexes are set for weekly gains. Investors are also bracing for any potential spike in volatility from Friday's "triple witching" - the simultaneous expiration of single stock options, stock index futures, and stock index options contracts that happens once a quarter. Among megacap stocks, Apple advanced 1.3 per cent. Kroger rose 6.4 per cent after the grocery chain increased its annual identical sales forecast. Mondelez International gained 2.4 per cent after brokerage Wells Fargo upgraded the Cadbury parent to "overweight" from "equal-weight". Accenture fell 7.2 per cent after the IT services provider said new bookings decreased in the third quarter. Wall Street's strong gains last month, primarily driven by a softening in Trump's trade stance and strength in corporate earnings, had pushed the benchmark S&P 500 index close to its record peaks before the ongoing conflict in the Middle East made investors risk-averse. The S&P 500 index now remains 2.4 per cent below its record level, and the tech-heavy Nasdaq is 2.8 per cent lower. Advancing issues outnumbered decliners by a 2.16-to-1 ratio on the NYSE and by a 1.45-to-1 ratio on the Nasdaq. The S&P 500 posted 12 new 52-week highs and 2 new lows while the Nasdaq Composite recorded 55 new highs and 31 new lows.
The Advertiser
3 hours ago
- The Advertiser
If you're going for a home loan but still have a HECS debt, you might want to wait
People with outstanding student loans will have an easier time getting a mortgage from September, when new lending rules will take effect. Banks will be able to disregard higher education loan program (HELP) debts, which include HECS debt, when assessing a homebuyer for a mortgage. The changes were finalised this week, after the Albanese government made a pre-election pledge in February to level the playing field for people with student debts. The Australian Prudential Regulation Authority has advised banks to remove HELP debt from debt-to-income reporting, a metric used to determine a person's capacity to repay a mortgage. The regulator has also clarified that it may be reasonable for banks to completely disregard a person's HELP debt from serviceability assessments, where it's expected the loan will be paid off within 12 months. Treasurer Jim Chalmers said the changes would make lending rules fairer. "We're making sure young people with a HELP debt are treated fairly and supporting them to get into the property market," he said. The changes mean a dual-income household with two student debts could borrow an additional $50,000 in the year they expect to pay off their student loan, according to the government's own analysis. APRA has written to lenders and the industry to advise them of the changes and their new obligations. The revised standards for banks will come into effect on September 30, 2025. In its letter to lenders, APRA said the changes would provide regulatory clarity and reaffirm the flexibility banks had in considering borrowers' individual circumstances. The regulator expects the changes will allow some borrowers with student debts to secure a home loan sooner. Education Minister Jason Clare said the Universities Accord found that banks' assessments of student debt made it harder for young Australians to buy a home. "HECS was never meant to be a handbrake on owning a home," he said. "That's not fair and we're fixing it." The federal government will also move ahead with its plan to reduce student debts by 20 per cent, something it committed to before the May election. During the election campaign, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese promised the legislative changes would be his first priority if his government was to be re-elected. The government has reaffirmed this, saying it will be the first piece of legislation introduced when Parliament returns on July 22, 2025. The 20 per cent reduction will occur once the legislation passes Parliament. However, the government has clarified the discount will be calculated based on a person's HELP debt amount as at June 1, 2025, before indexation was applied. This means the 2025 indexation will only apply to the remaining balance after the 20 per cent reduction. People with outstanding student loans will have an easier time getting a mortgage from September, when new lending rules will take effect. Banks will be able to disregard higher education loan program (HELP) debts, which include HECS debt, when assessing a homebuyer for a mortgage. The changes were finalised this week, after the Albanese government made a pre-election pledge in February to level the playing field for people with student debts. The Australian Prudential Regulation Authority has advised banks to remove HELP debt from debt-to-income reporting, a metric used to determine a person's capacity to repay a mortgage. The regulator has also clarified that it may be reasonable for banks to completely disregard a person's HELP debt from serviceability assessments, where it's expected the loan will be paid off within 12 months. Treasurer Jim Chalmers said the changes would make lending rules fairer. "We're making sure young people with a HELP debt are treated fairly and supporting them to get into the property market," he said. The changes mean a dual-income household with two student debts could borrow an additional $50,000 in the year they expect to pay off their student loan, according to the government's own analysis. APRA has written to lenders and the industry to advise them of the changes and their new obligations. The revised standards for banks will come into effect on September 30, 2025. In its letter to lenders, APRA said the changes would provide regulatory clarity and reaffirm the flexibility banks had in considering borrowers' individual circumstances. The regulator expects the changes will allow some borrowers with student debts to secure a home loan sooner. Education Minister Jason Clare said the Universities Accord found that banks' assessments of student debt made it harder for young Australians to buy a home. "HECS was never meant to be a handbrake on owning a home," he said. "That's not fair and we're fixing it." The federal government will also move ahead with its plan to reduce student debts by 20 per cent, something it committed to before the May election. During the election campaign, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese promised the legislative changes would be his first priority if his government was to be re-elected. The government has reaffirmed this, saying it will be the first piece of legislation introduced when Parliament returns on July 22, 2025. The 20 per cent reduction will occur once the legislation passes Parliament. However, the government has clarified the discount will be calculated based on a person's HELP debt amount as at June 1, 2025, before indexation was applied. This means the 2025 indexation will only apply to the remaining balance after the 20 per cent reduction. People with outstanding student loans will have an easier time getting a mortgage from September, when new lending rules will take effect. Banks will be able to disregard higher education loan program (HELP) debts, which include HECS debt, when assessing a homebuyer for a mortgage. The changes were finalised this week, after the Albanese government made a pre-election pledge in February to level the playing field for people with student debts. The Australian Prudential Regulation Authority has advised banks to remove HELP debt from debt-to-income reporting, a metric used to determine a person's capacity to repay a mortgage. The regulator has also clarified that it may be reasonable for banks to completely disregard a person's HELP debt from serviceability assessments, where it's expected the loan will be paid off within 12 months. Treasurer Jim Chalmers said the changes would make lending rules fairer. "We're making sure young people with a HELP debt are treated fairly and supporting them to get into the property market," he said. The changes mean a dual-income household with two student debts could borrow an additional $50,000 in the year they expect to pay off their student loan, according to the government's own analysis. APRA has written to lenders and the industry to advise them of the changes and their new obligations. The revised standards for banks will come into effect on September 30, 2025. In its letter to lenders, APRA said the changes would provide regulatory clarity and reaffirm the flexibility banks had in considering borrowers' individual circumstances. The regulator expects the changes will allow some borrowers with student debts to secure a home loan sooner. Education Minister Jason Clare said the Universities Accord found that banks' assessments of student debt made it harder for young Australians to buy a home. "HECS was never meant to be a handbrake on owning a home," he said. "That's not fair and we're fixing it." The federal government will also move ahead with its plan to reduce student debts by 20 per cent, something it committed to before the May election. During the election campaign, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese promised the legislative changes would be his first priority if his government was to be re-elected. The government has reaffirmed this, saying it will be the first piece of legislation introduced when Parliament returns on July 22, 2025. The 20 per cent reduction will occur once the legislation passes Parliament. However, the government has clarified the discount will be calculated based on a person's HELP debt amount as at June 1, 2025, before indexation was applied. This means the 2025 indexation will only apply to the remaining balance after the 20 per cent reduction. People with outstanding student loans will have an easier time getting a mortgage from September, when new lending rules will take effect. Banks will be able to disregard higher education loan program (HELP) debts, which include HECS debt, when assessing a homebuyer for a mortgage. The changes were finalised this week, after the Albanese government made a pre-election pledge in February to level the playing field for people with student debts. The Australian Prudential Regulation Authority has advised banks to remove HELP debt from debt-to-income reporting, a metric used to determine a person's capacity to repay a mortgage. The regulator has also clarified that it may be reasonable for banks to completely disregard a person's HELP debt from serviceability assessments, where it's expected the loan will be paid off within 12 months. Treasurer Jim Chalmers said the changes would make lending rules fairer. "We're making sure young people with a HELP debt are treated fairly and supporting them to get into the property market," he said. The changes mean a dual-income household with two student debts could borrow an additional $50,000 in the year they expect to pay off their student loan, according to the government's own analysis. APRA has written to lenders and the industry to advise them of the changes and their new obligations. The revised standards for banks will come into effect on September 30, 2025. In its letter to lenders, APRA said the changes would provide regulatory clarity and reaffirm the flexibility banks had in considering borrowers' individual circumstances. The regulator expects the changes will allow some borrowers with student debts to secure a home loan sooner. Education Minister Jason Clare said the Universities Accord found that banks' assessments of student debt made it harder for young Australians to buy a home. "HECS was never meant to be a handbrake on owning a home," he said. "That's not fair and we're fixing it." The federal government will also move ahead with its plan to reduce student debts by 20 per cent, something it committed to before the May election. During the election campaign, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese promised the legislative changes would be his first priority if his government was to be re-elected. The government has reaffirmed this, saying it will be the first piece of legislation introduced when Parliament returns on July 22, 2025. The 20 per cent reduction will occur once the legislation passes Parliament. However, the government has clarified the discount will be calculated based on a person's HELP debt amount as at June 1, 2025, before indexation was applied. This means the 2025 indexation will only apply to the remaining balance after the 20 per cent reduction.
The Advertiser
3 hours ago
- The Advertiser
Pro-Palestinian activists damage planes on UK base
British police are searching for suspects after pro-Palestinian activists claimed to have broken into a Royal Air Force Base and damaged two planes with red paint. The group Palestine Action said two members entered RAF Brize Norton on Wednesday and used electric scooters to approach the Voyager jets, which are used for air-to-air refuelling and transportation. The duo sprayed red paint into the planes' turbine engines with repurposed fire extinguishers and caused further damage with crowbars, according to the group, which released video footage appearing to show an individual approach a jet and spray paint into the engine. The activists left the base without being detained, Palestine Action said. The group said that "despite publicly condemning the Israeli government, Britain continues to send military cargo, fly spy planes over Gaza and refuel US/Israeli fighter jets". It called the UK "an active participant in the Gaza genocide and war crimes across the Middle East". Prime Minister Keir Starmer condemned the "vandalism" as "disgraceful" in a post on X. Britain's defence ministry confirmed the incident, saying: "We strongly condemn this vandalism of Royal Air Force assets." Planes from Brize Norton, about 100km northwest of London, regularly fly to RAF Akrotiri in Cyprus, Britain's main air base for operations in the Middle East. The UK has sent more Typhoon fighter jets and Voyager tankers to Cyprus since the Israel-Iran war started a week ago for what Starmer called "contingency support". Iran has threatened to attack US, French and British bases in the region if those countries help Israel fend off Iranian strikes. The defence ministry and police are investigating. with Reuters British police are searching for suspects after pro-Palestinian activists claimed to have broken into a Royal Air Force Base and damaged two planes with red paint. The group Palestine Action said two members entered RAF Brize Norton on Wednesday and used electric scooters to approach the Voyager jets, which are used for air-to-air refuelling and transportation. The duo sprayed red paint into the planes' turbine engines with repurposed fire extinguishers and caused further damage with crowbars, according to the group, which released video footage appearing to show an individual approach a jet and spray paint into the engine. The activists left the base without being detained, Palestine Action said. The group said that "despite publicly condemning the Israeli government, Britain continues to send military cargo, fly spy planes over Gaza and refuel US/Israeli fighter jets". It called the UK "an active participant in the Gaza genocide and war crimes across the Middle East". Prime Minister Keir Starmer condemned the "vandalism" as "disgraceful" in a post on X. Britain's defence ministry confirmed the incident, saying: "We strongly condemn this vandalism of Royal Air Force assets." Planes from Brize Norton, about 100km northwest of London, regularly fly to RAF Akrotiri in Cyprus, Britain's main air base for operations in the Middle East. The UK has sent more Typhoon fighter jets and Voyager tankers to Cyprus since the Israel-Iran war started a week ago for what Starmer called "contingency support". Iran has threatened to attack US, French and British bases in the region if those countries help Israel fend off Iranian strikes. The defence ministry and police are investigating. with Reuters British police are searching for suspects after pro-Palestinian activists claimed to have broken into a Royal Air Force Base and damaged two planes with red paint. The group Palestine Action said two members entered RAF Brize Norton on Wednesday and used electric scooters to approach the Voyager jets, which are used for air-to-air refuelling and transportation. The duo sprayed red paint into the planes' turbine engines with repurposed fire extinguishers and caused further damage with crowbars, according to the group, which released video footage appearing to show an individual approach a jet and spray paint into the engine. The activists left the base without being detained, Palestine Action said. The group said that "despite publicly condemning the Israeli government, Britain continues to send military cargo, fly spy planes over Gaza and refuel US/Israeli fighter jets". It called the UK "an active participant in the Gaza genocide and war crimes across the Middle East". Prime Minister Keir Starmer condemned the "vandalism" as "disgraceful" in a post on X. Britain's defence ministry confirmed the incident, saying: "We strongly condemn this vandalism of Royal Air Force assets." Planes from Brize Norton, about 100km northwest of London, regularly fly to RAF Akrotiri in Cyprus, Britain's main air base for operations in the Middle East. The UK has sent more Typhoon fighter jets and Voyager tankers to Cyprus since the Israel-Iran war started a week ago for what Starmer called "contingency support". Iran has threatened to attack US, French and British bases in the region if those countries help Israel fend off Iranian strikes. The defence ministry and police are investigating. with Reuters British police are searching for suspects after pro-Palestinian activists claimed to have broken into a Royal Air Force Base and damaged two planes with red paint. The group Palestine Action said two members entered RAF Brize Norton on Wednesday and used electric scooters to approach the Voyager jets, which are used for air-to-air refuelling and transportation. The duo sprayed red paint into the planes' turbine engines with repurposed fire extinguishers and caused further damage with crowbars, according to the group, which released video footage appearing to show an individual approach a jet and spray paint into the engine. The activists left the base without being detained, Palestine Action said. The group said that "despite publicly condemning the Israeli government, Britain continues to send military cargo, fly spy planes over Gaza and refuel US/Israeli fighter jets". It called the UK "an active participant in the Gaza genocide and war crimes across the Middle East". Prime Minister Keir Starmer condemned the "vandalism" as "disgraceful" in a post on X. Britain's defence ministry confirmed the incident, saying: "We strongly condemn this vandalism of Royal Air Force assets." Planes from Brize Norton, about 100km northwest of London, regularly fly to RAF Akrotiri in Cyprus, Britain's main air base for operations in the Middle East. The UK has sent more Typhoon fighter jets and Voyager tankers to Cyprus since the Israel-Iran war started a week ago for what Starmer called "contingency support". Iran has threatened to attack US, French and British bases in the region if those countries help Israel fend off Iranian strikes. The defence ministry and police are investigating. with Reuters
