‘Not there for combat': ADF aircraft deployed to Middle East to evacuate Australians

Thousands of Australians remain trapped in the conflict between Israel and Iran.
Defence personnel and aircraft will be deployed to the Middle East as a contingency for when the airspace reopens.
The Australian government is emphasising the ADF is not there for any combat role, but rather to help evacuate Australians from the region.
Foreign Minister Penny Wong said, 'we are sending defence assets to help Australians, they are not there for combat.'

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7NEWS

18 minutes ago

• 7NEWS

Australian military deployed to help Middle East evacuees

The military is being called in to help Australians trying to leave Iran and Israel, after the US gave itself two weeks to decide on whether to join the conflict between the Middle Eastern nations. Foreign Minister Penny Wong stressed the government was not sending in the Australian Defence Force in combat roles, but only to assist citizens and residents. She said any Australians left in Iran should leave if they can after closing the Australian embassy in the capital, Tehran, and ordering all diplomatic staff to depart. 'We are sending defence assets to help Australians — they are not there for combat,' Wong said. 'I wish that we had more capacity to assist, but the difficult reality is, the situation on the ground is extremely unstable.' The defence personnel and aircraft are part of contingency plans to help Australians leave if and when the now-closed airspace in Israel and Iran reopens. Some Iranian consulate staff have been sent to the closest land crossing in Azerbaijan to help Australians still in the nation. Those attempting to leave for a neighbouring state have been warned to consider the risks, as borders may close without notice and roads are exposed to attacks. There are also different visa rules for many of the bordering nations including Armenia, Turkmenistan, Azerbaijan and Turkey. Australians have been advised not to travel to Afghanistan, Iraq or parts of Pakistan that border Iran. Iran and Israel have continued to trade strikes after the Israeli military began its attack a week ago in a bid to wipe out Iran's nuclear program. Overnight, US President Donald Trump, who has kept the world guessing about whether the US might join the war on Israel's side, said he would make a decision within two weeks. He noted there was a 'substantial chance' of negotiations with Iran. Trump has demanded 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. Israeli strikes on Iran have killed at least 639 people and wounded 1300 others, according to a Washington-based Iranian human rights group. Israel says Iran's retaliatory strikes have killed at least 24 people and wounded hundreds. The Australian government has repeatedly urged all parties involved to prioritise diplomacy and dialogue. 'Given what President Trump has said, there is an opportunity over the next two weeks for de-escalation, dialogue and diplomacy,' Senator Wong said. 'That is what we want to see and that is what the world wants to see. 'Iran must come to the table and it must stop any nuclear weapons program.' More than 2000 Australians have registered for assistance to leave Iran, up from 1500 on Thursday. The government has already helped Australians flee Israel using a border crossing to Jordan. There are still more than 1200 Australians registered for assistance to depart Israel, where the airspace is also closed.

News.com.au

an hour ago

• News.com.au

Penny Wong stresses AUKUS ‘benefits' in call with Marco Rubio

The country's chief diplomat has stressed the 'benefits' of AUKUS in a call with US State Secretary Marco Rubio amid concerns Washington could be looking to pull out of the defence pact. The US Department of Defence earlier this month announced it was reviewing AUKUS to ensure it aligned with Donald Trump's 'American first' agenda. The Albanese government has brushed off concerns the 30-day audit signalled waning US support for the deal with Australia and the UK, with Deputy Prime Minister Richard Marles repeatedly calling it a 'natural' move. But with AUKUS the centrepiece of Australia's defence strategy over the first half of this century and Anthony Albanese yet to secure a face-to-face with the US President, it has offered little reassurance. Foreign Minister Penny Wong said on Friday she and her US counterpart discussed 'the importance of our partnership to stability, peace and prosperity in the Indo-Pacific'. 'I have outlined … the benefits to all countries, all three countries of the AUKUS agreement – an agreement which I think is so important for strategic balance in the region,' Senator Wong told reporters in Adelaide. 'That means protecting peace, preventing conflict, and assuring prosperity and security for all countries. 'I've also outlined, just as the Prime Minister has, the near-term benefits to the United States, including additional maintenance days and more days in the water for more submarines.' She refused to give a read on whether Mr Rubio backed the deal, only saying that 'he's on record as understanding the importance of AUKUS'. 'But obviously we'll work through the review with the United States,' Senator Wong said. 'It's unsurprising that they would engage in a review just as the United Kingdom did.' Canberra has already spent billions laying the groundwork to acquire and build nuclear-powered submarines and train personnel to crew them under AUKUS. Washington has committed to supply up to five Virginia-class submarines starting in 2032. But sluggish submarine production has put the US on track to face a shortage early next decade. Mr Trump can renege on AUKUS commitments if they endanger US national security. To help bolster production, Australia has agreed to inject $4.6bn into the US defence industrial base.

West Australian

an hour ago

• West Australian

Age checking tech works but mostly it asks to see your ID despite government promises

Nearly all the companies involved in a technology trial ahead of the under-16s social media ban check how old people are by matching IDs and selfies, despite the Government insisting no one would be compelled to hand over official documents once the world-leading law starts. The ban will come into effect in December, with the onus on social media companies to make sure children aren't on their platforms. Preliminary findings from the age assurance trial published on Friday show the technology exists and is ready for deployment, although some will be easier to use than others. Project director Tony Allen said the aim was to work out if age assurance could be done, and there was plenty of evidence that it was technically feasible. 'There are lots of systems and processes out there and choices available, but we didn't find a ubiquitous one-size-fits-all solution that would work in all circumstances,' he told The West. An analysis of the methods used by the 32 providers that gave statements to the trial shows that the vast majority use a combination of cross-checking identification documents, such as passports or driver's licences, with facial scans. Former communications minister Michelle Rowland guaranteed in legislation last year that no Australian would be compelled to use government identification documents to verify their age with social media companies. 'Platforms must offer reasonable alternatives to users,' she said when the law passed. The government sees the trial as a way to explore the efficacy of age estimation and verification technology, not a tool to pick one product that social media companies must use. Communications Minister Anika Wells is waiting for the final report, expected to contain hundreds of pages of technical detail, to be handed to her next month. 'The government will be guided by advice from the eSafety Commissioner on the implementation of the law,' her spokesman said. 'We know that social media age-restrictions will not be the end-all be-all solution for harms experienced by young people online, but it's a step in the right direction to keep our kids safer.' Just five of the providers in the trial offered technology that didn't require documents at all. Mostly these worked from selfies or face scans, with one analysing a user's hand movements to determine their age. Several offered services that use a face scan to estimate age, then add a secondary step asking for documentary proof if the person is close to the age threshold. Mr Allen said that type of 'successive validation' was a common process. 'If the gateway is (age) 18, if you're 18, 19, 20, you're more likely, I suspect, to have to produce some more evidence that you're over 18 than maybe if you're in your 30s or 40s,' he said. But there were also services that required official documents to be provided at the outset, including two that scan the information on the chips contained in passports. Andrew Hammond, the trial's deputy project director, said there was a huge variety of technology aimed at doing different jobs in terms of checking someone's age or verifying their identity. Social media platforms were engaged in the trial process, including Meta and Snap who made a joint proposal for how they would check people's ages, although it was conceptual rather than being based on existing technology. Instagram already uses Yoti, which was also involved in the trial, to verify the ages of people it thinks might be under 13 via a video selfie. Digital Industry Group director of regulatory affairs Jenny Duxbury said the peak body for the sector would review the preliminary findings and continue to engage with the Government on how the social media ban could be implemented.