The latest in the Middle East
Welcome to our rolling coverage of the war in the Middle East, which is now in its third week and shows no sign of slowing down.
Here’s a recap of key events overnight:
- Gulf states reported new missile and drone attacks overnight after Iran called for the evacuation of three major ports in the United Arab Emirates.
- In Israel, air raid sirens sounded across Tel Aviv and surrounding areas as Iran launched a wave of new strikes. Most, but not all the missiles, were shot down, and caused widespread destruction.
- Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said Iran has not sought a ceasefire or negotiations with the United States, contradicting claims by Donald Trump that Tehran wanted to make a deal.
- Trump also said that US strikes had “totally demolished” much of Kharg Island, a critical oil hub, and warned “we may hit it a few more times just for fun”.
- Tehran accused the US of using “ports, docks and hideouts” in the UAE to launch strikes on Kharg Island, home to the main terminal handling Iran’s oil exports, without providing evidence.
- Trump’s appeals to China, France, Japan, South Korea, Britain and others to send warships to keep the Strait of Hormuz open brought no commitments on Sunday as oil prices continue to soar.
- In Australia, the number of Iranian women’s soccer players seeking asylum has rapidly diminished. The government confirmed late on Sunday that another Iranian player had decided to return home, leaving just two remaining in Australia.
- Meanwhile, Israeli strikes have deepened Lebanon’s humanitarian crisis, with more than 800 people killed and over 850,000 displaced.
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Police in London arrested 12 people during demonstrations linked to Al‑Quds Day, an annual event showing solidarity with the Palestinian cause.
IDF says it hit 200 targets in Iran in one day
The Israel Defence Forces said in a new statement that it has hit 200 Iranian targets in the past day.
Israeli forces said operations targeting Iran’s ballistic missile capabilities and air defence systems were continuing in central and west Tehran.
They said their targets included “command centres in which regime operatives were active, defence systems, and weapon storage and production sites.”
Iran has not responded to the IDF’s statement.
Oil jumps again, trading at more than $100 a barrel
Oil rose as much as 3.3 per cent after US attacks on Iran’s main export hub marked another escalation in the war that’s all but cut off global customers from the region’s energy supplies.
Brent traded around $US106 ($150) a barrel after adding more than 40 per cent in the past two weeks, while West Texas Intermediate was near $US101.
The Islamic Republic has carried out retaliatory attacks on Israel and Arab states in the Persian Gulf, after the US struck military sites on Kharg Island, which handles the bulk of Iran’s oil shipments.
The bombing of Kharg Island further increased the scope of the conflict, which the International Energy Agency last week said has already caused the largest supply disruption in the history of the global oil market.
Traffic through the Strait of Hormuz — the vital maritime thoroughfare linking the Persian Gulf to international markets — has remained at a near-standstill since fighting began.
Bloomberg
WHO releases $2 million in emergency funds to bolster war response
The World Health Organisation (WHO) has released $2 million in funds to bolster its health response to the ongoing war between the US-Israel and Iran.
Yesterday, the WHO said it would dip into its Contingency Fund for Emergencies to support larger-scale health responses in Lebanon, Syria and Iraq as the number of injured civilians in need of medical attention place increased demands on health services.
Of the additional funds, $1 million has been allocated to Lebanon, with $500,000 allocated to both Syria and Iraq.
Most of the funds will be used to scale up trauma care and acquire and distribute essential medicines and medical supplies, WHO said in its statement.
Iranian players have ‘well-founded fear of persecution’: Sharma
Liberal senator Dave Sharma says the return of additional individuals from the Iranian women’s football delegation is proof the government’s asylum offer to the delegation was the “right” decision.
Sharma, who previously held the position of Australia’s ambassador to Israel, said, “I think the obvious conclusion here is that the players were subjected to pressures, or the families back home in Iran were subjected to pressure after they made their decision, which caused them to rethink, which just confirms, firstly, the decision to offer them asylum was right because they do have a well-founded fear of persecution, and the regime’s tentacles of intimidation are very long, and they reach into Australia.
“The fact that we had … seven people claim asylum, and five have left within a matter of a week, I find very troubling,” he told Sky News earlier this morning.
Of the original delegation of seven players and officials who had taken up the government’s bid for asylum in Australia, only two now remain here, the government has confirmed, after an additional three returned to Iran over the weekend.
Australia will not send warship to Middle East, government confirms
The Albanese government has confirmed it will not send a warship to the Middle East as US President Donald Trump tries to rally nations to protect oil tankers passing through the Strait of Hormuz.
“We’ve been very clear about what our contribution is in relation to our requests, and so far that is to the UAE, obviously providing aircraft to assist with defence, particularly given the number of Australians that are in that area in particular,” Transport Minister Catherine King told ABC radio.
“But we won’t be sending a ship to the Strait of Hormuz. We know how incredibly important that is. That’s not something that we’ve been asked or we’re contributing.”
This masthead reported yesterday that the government was not keen to send any warships to the Middle East as it is focused on the Indo-Pacific region.
Zelensky implores US to help Ukraine, reaffirms support for America
During an interview with CNN in the last hour, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky implored the US to help Ukraine in its ongoing fight against Russia and briefly mentioned the US’ conflict with Iran to reaffirm his support for America.
He said Russian President Vladimir Putin was unlikely to order Russian forces out of Ukrainian territory without a push from Trump, and urged the US leader to help set up a trilateral meeting.
“I’m still sure that America has to make big pressure on Putin, otherwise he will not negotiate … Now we are asking our partners from the United States that we have to fix the date of [a] trilateral meeting. We always supported these formats, we support President Trump and his team,” Zelensky said.
“Of course, this situation in Iran gives [Putin] more money, and the process of taking off the sanctions, this new sanctions policy, is also helpful for him personally, and that’s why, of course, it gives more to Putin that he can continue the war,” he said, referencing the US’s decision to temporarily lift its sanctions on Russian oil to offset the impacts of the war on global energy markets.
Zelensky reiterated his support for the US’s actions in the Middle East, and said Ukraine would do whatever it could to help American efforts.
“We remember what America made for Ukraine all these years. But it’s not about money, it’s not about weapons. It’s just because of our relationship. We are sharing values … So you can count on us. If we can help more, we will.”
Pope Leo decries ‘atrocious violence’ in Iran war, urges ceasefire
Pope Leo made an impassioned plea on Sunday for an immediate ceasefire in the expanding Iran war.
“For two weeks, the peoples of the Middle East have been suffering the atrocious violence of war,” the Pope said at his weekly Angelus prayer in St Peter’s Square.
“In the name of Christians in the Middle East and of all women and men of goodwill, I appeal to those responsible for this conflict: Cease fire!” Pope Leo said.
Reuters
Thistlethwaite unsure if two remaining Iranian individuals will return home
The additional players from the Iranian women’s football team delegation who decided to return home to Iran departed from Australia yesterday, Assistant Foreign Minister Matt Thistlethwaite said this morning.
Speaking to Sky News, he said, “My instructions are that five players have left … that the additional players left yesterday.”
Of the original delegation of seven players and officials who had taken up the government’s bid for asylum in Australia, only two now remain here, Thistlethwaite confirmed.
He would not say whether the government thought the two remaining individuals would also ultimately decide to return home.
“Obviously, this is a very complex situation. They’re deeply personal decisions, and the government respects the decisions of those that have chosen to return, and we continue to offer support to the two that are remaining,” Thistlethwaite said.
Minister insists fuel supply is sufficient, while NSW holds crisis talks
Australia has 37 days of petrol and 30 days of diesel left in reserve, Environment Minister Murray Watt said this morning, amid growing fears that the ongoing conflict in the Middle East will lead to fuel shortages here in Australia.
Speaking to Seven’s Sunrise earlier, Watt assured Australians there were sufficient supplies in Australia’s two onshore reserves, and that the government was working to address concerns that fuel was not reaching regional communities and farmers.
The NSW government is holding crisis talks today to address fuel shortages as consumers feel the impacts of the conflict at the petrol bowser.
NSW Energy Minister Penny Sharpe said this morning: “The challenge that we’re facing here, we’ve got a local impact to an international crisis, and it really is about distribution and making sure it can get to people when they need it.
“No one should be getting gouged as a result of this crisis.”
Starmer holds phone calls with Trump, Carney
British Prime Minister Keir Starmer discussed the need to reopen the Strait of Hormuz to end disruption to global shipping with US President Donald Trump, a Downing Street spokeswoman said.
Starmer also spoke to Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney in a separate phone call, with the leaders discussing the impact of the strait’s continued closure on international shipping, the spokeswoman said.
Starmer and Carney agreed to continue talks on the Middle East conflict at a meeting on Monday, the spokeswoman added.
Reuters
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