Australia news LIVE: Wong says Israel's attack on Iran ‘alarming'; Air India crash kills hundreds
Key posts
10.54am $10 million package for Gaza announced
10.22am Israel claims it has attacked Iran
9.46am Trump warns of Israeli strike on Iran, 'massive conflict'
8.59am US senator handcuffed at LA press conference
8.40am Health ministers to discuss IVF reforms after string of scandals
8.17am Criminals recruited for country's biggest wind farm
7.50am 'Bodies all around me': Sole survivor of Air India crash speaks
6.50am More than 260 dead in Air India crash
Hide key posts
Latest posts
Latest posts
11.13am
Netanyahu says Israel is targeting 'nuclear scientists' in Iran
By Amber Schultz
Loading
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has confirmed his country launched 'preemptive strikes' on Iranian military facilities as explosions were heard in the Iranian capital Tehran.
'We targeted Iran's leading nuclear scientists working on the Iranian bomb. We also struck the heart of Iran's ballistic missile program,' Reuters reports Netanyahu as saying.
United States officials have said there was no US assistance or involvement in the operation, but declined to endorse or condemn the attacks.
There was no immediate word on what was struck.
US President Donald Trump is reportedly convening an urgent cabinet meeting.
You can keep up to date with the developments via our dedicated live blog here.
10.54am
$10 million package for Gaza announced
By Amber Schultz
The government has announced a new package of support for Palestinian civilians in Gaza.
Australia has formed a partnership with the Jordan, providing $5 million to deliver critical medical supplies to the kingdom's field hospitals operating within Gaza, along with $5 million to UNICEF for nutritional support for children.
Speaking in Canberra this morning, Foreign Affairs Minister Penny Wong said the situation for the people of Gaza was 'catastrophic'.
'Civilians killed by the thousands, people starving, children going without food and medical supplies. Schools, hospitals, and homes destroyed. I know so many Australians are distressed by the suffering and many Australians are frustrated that we have been unable to move the dial on our own,' she said.
Minister for International Development Dr Anne Aly said the devastation in Gaza was 'unacceptable'.
'All of Gaza is at imminent risk of famine and children under the age of five are the most impacted,' she said.
'The support that we're announcing today equates to roughly 2.9 million rations of nutritional support. That's enough to meet the needs of 8000 children in Gaza for four months.'
The new funding brings Australia's total support to Gaza and Lebanon to $110 million since October 7.
10.45am
Israel-Iran escalation 'alarming': Wong
By Amber Schultz
Foreign Affairs Minister Penny Wong says the government is alarmed about the escalation between Israel and Iran as Israel claims it has begun attacking Iran's capital Tehran.
'This risks further destabilising a region that is already volatile. We call on all parties to refrain from actions and rhetoric that would further exacerbate tensions,' Wong said at a press conference in Canberra.
'We all understand the threat of Iran's nuclear and ballistic missile program. It represents a threat to international peace and security and we urge the parties to prioritise dialogue and diplomacy.'
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese is travelling to Fiji, Canada and the US ahead of the G7 summit that starts in Alberta, canada, on Sunday.
10.22am
Israel claims it has attacked Iran
By Amber Schultz
Explosions have been heard in Iran with Israel claiming it has attacked the country's capital Tehran.
Israeli Defence Minister Israel Katz announced a 'special situation' in Israel. He said its schools would be closed on Friday.
There was no immediate word on what was struck in Iran.
We'll bring you updates as the story develops.
AP
10.09am
Sydney explosion leaves two injured
By Amber Schultz
Loading
In Sydney, a large explosion in the city's west has left two men in hospital, and up to 50 people evacuated from their homes.
About 6.30am a large explosion blew a hole in the wall of the second storey of the three-level Clarence Street unit complex in Lidcombe.
An occupant of the building, a man in his 40s, was found unconscious inside by firefighters. He was taken to Westmead Hospital in a serious condition with burns to his hands and face.
A second man in his 60s was also taken to hospital in a stable condition for smoke inhalation.
The cause of the incident is still under investigation, but police said a gas explosion was a line of inquiry.
9.46am
Trump warns of Israeli strike on Iran, 'massive conflict'
By Amber Schultz
US President Donald Trump says there is a 'chance of massive conflict' in the Middle East, warning that Israel may attack Iran as negotiations over the country's nuclear program continue.
'I don't want to say imminent, but it looks like it's something that could very well happen,' Trump told reporters on Friday AEST.
'They can't have a nuclear weapon. I prefer the more friendly path,' he said.
The US has evacuated some embassy staff from the Middle East amid the tensions.
Israel's ambassador to the UN Danny Danon warned the window for negotiations was almost closed.
'We are very serious when we say that we will not allow Iran to obtain nuclear capabilities,' he said.
'Trump and the administration are trying to negotiate with Iranians … That window is closing very soon.'
9.20am
'Devastating': Albanese receiving updates on Air India disaster
By Amber Schultz
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has said the government is keeping a close eye on developments in the Air India crash.
'The news of a passenger plane crash in Ahmedabad is absolutely devastating,' he wrote in a post on X.
'In this time of tragedy, Australia's thoughts are with everyone affected. Our government is receiving regular updates and we will continue to monitor the situation closely.'
8.59am
US senator handcuffed at LA press conference
By Amber Schultz
Loading
In Los Angeles, a US senator was dragged out of a room and briefly handcuffed after interrupting a news conference on the Trump administration's immigration raids.
Democratic senator Alex Padilla was manhandled and pushed out of the room by Secret Service agents when he interrupted a press conference being held by Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem, saying he had 'questions for the secretary'.
California's Democratic governor, Gavin Newsom, posted footage of the incident on social media.
'This is outrageous, dictatorial, and shameful. Trump and his shock troops are out of control,' he said.
After a quieter day of demonstrations in downtown Los Angeles – the second night of a curfew – police said they made 81 arrests overnight, mostly for failing to disperse.
8.40am
Health ministers to discuss IVF reforms after string of scandals
By Angus Thomson
Australia's health ministers will meet in Melbourne today to discuss reforms for the IVF sector after a second high-profile bungle by fertility giant Monash IVF.
Loading
Health Minister Mark Butler said state and federal governments needed to 'clean up' the sector, addressing gaps in regulation, transparency concerns, and confidence in an industry that now contributes to 20,000 births every year.
'Our third child is an IVF baby. The trust you place in these organisations, these companies, is just extraordinary,' Butler told ABC News Breakfast.
'I want to see families have utter confidence in what has traditionally been one of the safest, highest quality IVF systems on the planet, but clearly something needs to be done here.'
Butler said the sector had traditionally been overseen by state governments, but there was 'clearly a case' for national consistency to address a patchwork of regulations and rules across state borders.
Monash IVF chief executive Michael Knaap stepped down yesterday following a string of scandals, including two embryo mix-ups revealed in recent months.
sensitive patient details were stolen and posted on the dark web in a massive data breach earlier this year.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Sydney Morning Herald
21 minutes ago
- Sydney Morning Herald
War in the Middle East is dangerous; Albanese missed his opportunity
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese's belated abandonment of Australia's neutral stance on the US joining Israel's attack on Iran is a continuation of the defensive and slow-footed reaction that has marked his record over the 18 months since the Middle East reignited. With US President Donald Trump posturing for days on taking military action against Tehran, Albanese had adequate preparation time. Yet, when the attacks came, the prime minister stayed silent on support. Instead, his office issued a statement by an anonymous government spokesperson calling for de-escalation, dialogue and diplomacy. Such lame silence opened the door for the opposition's canny acting foreign affairs spokesperson, Andrew Hastie, to seize the initiative and back the US strikes and scramble the government onto Monday morning television programs, Foreign Minister Penny Wong and Social Services Minister Tanya Plibersek eventually confirming that the government did indeed support Trump's strikes. Albanese then emerged on Monday to declare that, while the attacks were unilateral action by the US, 'Iran cannot be allowed to get a nuclear weapon, and we support action to prevent that'. He should have said it loud and clear on Sunday. That is not to say the prime minister was letting down our ally by not automatically endorsing American action. The US has been so erratic of late that we do not owe it that, not least because so many unanswered questions flow from the weekend. The legality of the US action is wide open to interpretation and Trump's declaration that Iran's nuclear program had been 'completely and totally obliterated' sits awkwardly beside assertions a day later by senior US officials they did not know the fate of Tehran's stockpile of near-bomb-grade uranium. Further, the UN's nuclear watchdog confirmed all three Iranian facilities had been badly damaged, but said it was not yet in a position to assess the impact underground and Iran has told the International Atomic Energy Agency there has been no increase in off-site radiation levels at the three sites. Trump's withdrawal in 2018 from the Iran nuclear deal reached by seven countries after two years of gruelling negotiation may have helped push Tehran down its current obstinate path. But in the 10 days of war with Israel this month, Iran has received little but verbal support from allies and is perhaps now the most isolated it has been since the 1979 US embassy hostage crisis.
Sky News AU
21 minutes ago
- Sky News AU
Aussie motorists told to fuel up now as Iran-Israel conflict escalates
Australians are being warned that now is the low point in the petrol cycle and they should fuel up before prices rise in the coming days. With the price of Brent crude oil hitting a three-month high over the weekend as the Israel-Iran conflict escalates, surpassing $US80 a barrel, motorists are being urged to fill up. 'We will start to see the prices increase, but they are nowhere near as high as other economies have predicted,' NRMA spokesman Peter Khoury said. Mr Khoury said while the price of petrol was going up, it was not as much as some motorists feared, with on average drivers likely to pay 8 cents more a litre when fuelling up their car. 'Our regional benchmark – Malaysian Tapis – closed at $77 a barrel and we do expect it to go higher when the markets open tonight,' Mr Khoury said. 'But to put it in perspective, when we saw those really horrible record high prices back when Russia invaded Ukraine, Tapis was trading at $133 a barrel.' Australia motorists' fuel costs are based on Malaysian Tapis crude oil prices. While Tapis crude oil prices are influenced by the same factors as US brent crude oil prices, they do not necessarily trade at the same price. The price of Brent crude oil spiked to $US80 a barrel over the weekend after the US attacked and 'completely obliterated' three nuclear sites in Iran. Traders were worried about two major potential escalations in the conflict, with either the closure of the Strait of Hormuz or an all-out regional war negatively impacting the price of oil. Cutting off the Strait of Hormuz could send the price of oil above $US100 a barrel, as the 32km mile stretch is the primary route of exports from Saudi Arabia, Iraq, the UAE, and Kuwait. But the passage that feeds the world with about 30 per cent of its oil supply is still open, at least for now, pending a final decision by Iran's Supreme Council after Iran's parliament voted to close it. Mr Khoury said it was important that Australians educated themselves before they filled up, with motorists in Sydney facing the bottom of the cycle, while Perth prices are set to fall on Tuesday. 'The reason I say that is because there is always a spread of prices,' he said. 'People are really surprised. We've had people say I thought the prices would be sky high and they are not.' Like an interest rate rise Higher petrol prices could act like an interest rate rise, as Aussies would have to spend more at the pump. Independent economist Saul Eslake said what happened next was unknown, but two scenarios could impact the Australian economy. 'One is the Iranians either choose to or find they can't do anything at all to which oil could fall back relatively quickly,' he said. 'On the other hand if they block the Strait of Hormuz, then the oil price could rise above $US100 a barrel, which while the world doesn't end it gets uncomfortably high.' Mr Eslake said the spike in oil prices was unlikely to move the Reserve Bank of Australia on interest rates in the short term. 'The RBA will look through the initial spike in oil prices, as it gets taken out through trimmed mean inflation rate,' he said. 'In a sense, higher oil prices act like an increase in interest rates; that is, to say people spend more on petrol and (have) less to spend on everything else. It's kind of the same way interest rates work.' Originally published as Aussie motorists told to fuel up now as Iran-Israel conflict escalates
The Age
25 minutes ago
- The Age
White House emphasised strikes were not about regime change. Then Trump logged on to social media
The US was not seeking regime change, they said explicitly. This would not become another Iraq War. But they also indicated the campaign was not singularly about nuclear weapons. Iran had to stop funding terrorism, Vance said. It could not threaten its neighbours. It had to reintegrate into the global community. And just hours later, Trump muddied the waters substantially with a typically stream-of-consciousness social media post. 'It's not politically correct to use the term, 'Regime Change', but if the current Iranian Regime is unable to MAKE IRAN GREAT AGAIN, why wouldn't there be a Regime change??? MIGA!!!' Trump wrote. It was a flippant contribution and, in many ways, stating the obvious. What American president in the past 46 years – since the fall of the puppet Shah in the Iranian Islamic Revolution – would not have welcomed regime change in Tehran? Trump is not about to conduct a military campaign with such an objective in mind. But it could flow from the combined effects of the US and Israel's strikes, Iran's depleted leadership and its severely weakened regional proxies, runaway inflation and a restless populace. As Eric Edelman, a former US undersecretary for defence policy under George W. Bush, wrote in Foreign Affairs two days ago, Iran's ageing Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei has been 'comprehensively humbled'. Iranians were unlikely to be unsympathetic, he said, and in past demonstrations had blamed the regime rather than outsiders for their predicament. 'Another major protest movement will undoubtedly arise,' he predicted. Israel, seeing this as its best opportunity to topple the regime, will be looking for support. And Trump, who has already boasted of working in lock-step with Benjamin Netanyahu, would not be able to resist claiming credit should things move in that direction, and may even be tempted to help. But such ongoing involvement, whether militarily or though sanctions or covert operations, carries risks for Americans. There are already reports the Iranians threatened to unleash terrorist 'sleeper cells' in the US in retaliation for the weekend strikes. The US has vast assets and tens of thousands of troops in the Middle East. And the State Department has issued a worldwide alert for Americans outside the US to exercise caution. Loading A conflict escalation that endangers Americans would be bad for Trump. He is operating with enormous goodwill from his base after pulling off 'the greatest political comeback in history'. But it is not limitless, as the backlash of the past few days has shown. Trump's instincts here are complicated. He is emboldened by success, including Israel's. He is desperate for the Nobel Peace Prize, and recently posted a rant about how he is unlikely to ever get one, no matter what he does. He is willing to bully allies who challenge him, and says he alone gets to define what 'America First' means. Brett McGurk, a former national security adviser to multiple presidents, and the Middle East co-ordinator under Joe Biden, said Trump should cast aside any ambitions of regime change. 'We can all hope that this regime, which has so much American blood on its hands, ultimately ends up in the dustbin of history – but that's up to the Iranian people,' he told CNN. 'Let's not mission creep. Stay focused.' Loading
