Source : the age
Thank you for reading our coverage of events across the Middle East after the US and Israel launched an attack on Iran at the weekend. This blog is now closed, but our live coverage continues here.
Here is a look at the latest headlines from the region:
- US and Israeli forces have hit more than 2000 targets, sinking nine Iranian naval ships and killing 48 of the country’s leaders. Iran has struck 27 targets across eight countries.
- In Iran at least 201 people are dead and 747 injured, according to the Red Crescent. Some 165 of those are children and adults killed in a US-Israeli strike on a girls’ school in southern Iran. In Israel at least nine have died, while three American soldiers were killed in Kuwait.
- The Israel military has killed at least 31 people in Lebanon, after launching strikes aimed at Iran-back terrorist group Hezbollah. Hezbollah fired missiles at Israel earlier today. Iran has also continued to retaliate against Israel. Israel is keeping “all options on the table” for a possible ground operation in Lebanon, according to Israeli military spokesman Brigadier General Effie Defrin.
- A new leader of Iran could be chosen in the coming days, the Islamic Republic’s foreign minister said. Slain supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei had reportedly named Iran’s security chief, Ali Larijani, as his successor. In an interview with America’s ABC News, US President Donald Trump claimed the initial US-Israel attack killed the three most likely replacements for Khamenei.
- Iran will not negotiate with the US, the Islamic Republic’s security chief said, as Tehran continued to suffer strikes from US.
- Iran’s retaliatory attacks on Israel and US government buildings in the region are proof the Islamic Republic remains “a threat to peace and stability”, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese told the ABC’s 7.30 program.
- Motorists face the threat of rising petrol prices as the widening conflict in Iran rattles global energy markets and ignites warnings that oil prices could blow past $US100 ($140) a barrel for the first time in years.
- A US pilot was forced to activate his parachute after his fighter jet was shot down over Kuwait in a suspected incident of friendly fire, regional media report. The Kuwait Ministry of Defence appeared to confirm the reports in a statement acknowledging a number of US fighters were downed and that the pilots were safe.
- A UK defence base in Cyprus was hit in a drone attack, shortly after British Prime Minister Keir Starmer allowed US forces to use the base. Some reports suggested the explosions might have been caused by missiles fired from Lebanon, meaning the attack is likely to have been orchestrated by Hezbollah.
- Any mosques holding ceremonies honouring Iran’s slain leader should be investigated by police for supporting terrorist group the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, the co-chief executive of the Executive Council of Australian Jewry said. “We cannot allow terrorists to be glorified in our country or for such actions to occur without consequence,” Alex Ryvchin said on X.
- Flights in and out of the Middle East region have been halted or cancelled due to the conflict, with more than 20,000 flight delays and disruptions reported.
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has criticised a small number of Islamic centres in Australia that mourned the death of Iran’s supreme leader, Ali Khamenei.
“I don’t think they’re appropriate, and certainly, I think that, overwhelmingly, people won’t be participating,” he told the ABC’s 7.30 program.
“We are a country that believes in human rights, that believes in democracy, that believes in freedom, and we of course want to see that right around the world. It is up to the people of Iran now determine their future. And over coming days and weeks and the period ahead, we await what comes.”
At least one Islamic Centre in Melbourne’s west offered its condolences over Khamenei’s death on social media and planned to honour him at a service last night.
NSW Premier Chris Minns also condemned plans of a Sydney prayer hall to host a vigil for Khamenei.
Iran’s retaliatory attacks on Israel and US government buildings in the region are proof the Islamic Republic remains “a threat to peace and stability”, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese told the ABC’s 7.30 program.
“We’ve seen, even in hours, attacks on a British base in Cyprus, on French forces stationed in Abu Dhabi, and on the Gulf,” Albanese said. “Right across the board a seemingly endless series of attacks, including in residential areas, in areas that are frequented by tourists in Dubai and Abu Dhabi and Qatar.”
Asked if Australia was concerned by the US appearing to break international law by attacking Iran, Albanese said the government was supportive of the White House “stopping the role that Iran has played in undermining peace and security in the region” and that Ayatollah Ali Khamenei was a leader who “will not be mourned”.
Israel is keeping “all options on the table” for a possible ground operation in Lebanon, according to Israeli military spokesman Brigadier General Effie Defrin.
Defrin said on Monday that Israel has called up more than 100,000 reservists since the war with Iran began on Saturday.
Hezbollah launched missiles and drones towards Israel overnight, and Israel responded by striking dozens of targets in Beirut and southern Lebanon, killing at least 31.
“Hezbollah will pay a very heavy price for this,” Defrin said.
AP
Washington: It is customary – some would say mandatory – for Donald Trump’s cabinet and inner circle to relentlessly boost and praise the US president on his success.
Cabinet meetings, at least the on-camera portion, are now Kumbaya sessions in which secretaries take turns to thank Trump for his leadership.
And when something big happens – like, say, bombing Iran and killing the supreme leader – they inevitably use social media to certify the brilliance of Trump’s latest action.
So it is noteworthy that for the past 48 hours, Vice President JD Vance has said next to nothing about Operation Epic Fury.
Vance’s only public comment on X was to repost from his vice presidential account a White House photograph showing him in the Situation Room during the operation, alongside Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, Energy Secretary Chris Wright and Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard.
It might be instructive that Vance wasn’t at Mar-a-Lago with Trump and top military adviser Dan “Razin” Caine, the chairman of the joint chiefs of staff, during the operation. Some commentators mocked the Situation Room gathering as the “kids’ table”.
Vance was elsewhere during the raid on Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro, too, and later explained his absence as a strategic move to avoid raising suspicion in the Maduro regime. Perhaps that’s fair enough.
It’s also true that the whole administration has been uncharacteristically quiet since the strikes began. But Vance’s total silence is striking, especially as he is ordinarily a prolific social media poster.
Read the full analysis here.
A US pilot was forced to activate his parachute after his fighter jet was shot down over Kuwait in a suspected incident of friendly fire, regional media report.
The Kuwait Ministry of Defence appeared to confirm the reports in a statement acknowledging a number of US fighters were downed and that the pilots were safe.
The ministry said the pilots had been taken to a hospital for check-ups and their condition was stable, AP reported.
Video widely shared by regional media – but not able to be verified by this masthead – show an American F-15 jet falling through the sky after being shot down.
The White House has not acknowledged the reports.
China’s Foreign Ministry has urged all parties involved in the Iran conflict to cease military actions and prevent an escalation of the conflict.
The United States and Israel’s strikes against Iran violated international law and China is deeply concerned about spillover effects on neighbouring countries, Mao Ning, a spokesperson for the ministry, told a press briefing.
China believes that the sovereignty, security and territorial integrity of the Gulf states should be fully respected and supports countries to strengthen communication, Mao said.
Reuters
Iran has attacked the US embassy compound in Kuwait, the Associated Press reported.
According to AP, fire and smoke rose from inside the compound as an alarm blared, after an Iranian attack on the small Middle East nation on Monday.
The US earlier warned Americans in the area to take cover and remain indoors.
Welcome to our rolling coverage of events across the Middle East after the US and Israel launched an attack on Iran at the weekend.
Here is a look at the latest headlines from the region:
- US and Israeli forces have hit more than 2000 targets, sinking nine Iranian naval ships and killing 48 of the country’s leaders. Iran has struck 27 targets across eight countries.
- In Iran at least 201 people are dead and 747 injured, according to the Red Crescent. Some 165 of those are children and adults killed in a US-Israeli strike on a girls’ school in southern Iran. In Israel at least nine have died, while three American soldiers were killed in Kuwait.
- The Israel military has killed at least 31 people in Lebanon, after launching strikes aimed at Iran-back terrorist group Hezbollah. Hezbollah fired missiles at Israel earlier today. Iran has also continued to retaliate against Israel.
- A new leader of Iran could be chosen in the coming days, the Islamic Republic’s foreign minister said. Slain supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei had reportedly named Iran’s security chief, Ali Larijani, as his successor. In an interview with America’s ABC News, US President Donald Trump claimed the initial US-Israel attack killed the three most likely replacements for Khamenei.
- Iran will not negotiate with the US, the Islamic Republic’s security chief said, as Tehran continued to suffer strikes from US.
- Motorists face the threat of rising petrol prices as the widening conflict in Iran rattles global energy markets and ignites warnings that oil prices could blow past $US100 ($140) a barrel for the first time in years.
- A UK defence base in Cyprus was hit in a drone attack, shortly after British Prime Minister Keir Starmer allowed US forces to use the base. Some reports suggested the explosions might have been caused by missiles fired from Lebanon, meaning the attack is likely to have been orchestrated by Hezbollah.
- Any mosques holding ceremonies honouring Iran’s slain leader should be investigated by police for supporting terrorist group the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, the co-chief executive of the Executive Council of Australian Jewry said. “We cannot allow terrorists to be glorified in our country or for such actions to occur without consequence,” Alex Ryvchin said on X.
- Flights in and out of the Middle East region have been halted or cancelled due to the conflict, with more than 20,000 flight delays and disruptions reported.
Read more on the US-Israel-Iran war:
Millions of migrant workers, who support some of the Middle East’s most crucial sectors, are in the line of fire as Iran retaliates against the US-Israeli strikes that killed the Islamic Republic’s supreme leader.
Southeast and South Asian nations supply a large share of the labour in the Gulf, including medical practitioners, construction workers and household help that make up a workforce the International Labour Organisation estimates at over 24 million.
The Philippines, Indonesia and Thailand said on Monday that they were monitoring the location of their citizens and urged them to shelter in place. Evacuation and repatriation plans are also being prepared should the attacks worsen, they said.
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, whose country has about 9 million workers in the Gulf, said in an X post that he spoke to UAE President Mohamed bin Zayed about “taking care” of the Indian community. His cabinet also directed all departments to “take necessary and feasible measures to assist Indian nationals affected by the development”.
Caregiver Mary Anne Velasquez de Vera, from the Philippines, was killed when she was struck by shrapnel while helping her ward reach a bomb shelter in Tel Aviv, Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr said in a briefing late on Sunday. Another Filipino migrant worker was injured in Kuwait.
The UAE reported three people killed from Pakistan, Nepal and Bangladesh.
Migrant workers are crucial to the Middle East economy, accounting for over 40 per cent of the region’s labour force, the highest proportion in the world, according to the International Labour Organisation.
Bloomberg
