What you need to know
Welcome to our continuing live coverage of the conflict in the Middle East.
Here’s a recap of the latest developments:
- Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has announced Anthea Harris will co-ordinate the new fuel supply taskforce, insisting there is “not less” fuel in Australia than there was three weeks ago, as the consumer watchdog investigates allegations of anti-competitive conduct by major fuel suppliers.
- Iranian Intelligence Minister Esmail Khatib has been killed by an Israeli strike, Iran’s president confirmed. The Israeli military said Khatib was killed in a “targeted strike in Tehran”.
- The Iranian women’s soccer team has returned to Iran after taking a bus from Turkey. They were greeted at the border by officials, Iranian media reported. Two players who sought asylum remain in Australia.
- Facilities associated with Iran’s massive offshore South Pars natural gas field came under attack on Wednesday local time, state media reported.
- In response, Iran issued evacuation warnings for oil facilities across Saudi Arabia, the UAE, and Qatar, saying they had become “direct and legitimate targets” and would be targeted by strikes.
- The price of oil surged another 5 per cent, passing $US110 a barrel.
- US Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard told a hearing into worldwide threats that the Iranian regime “appears to be intact but largely degraded” since the war began on February 28.
- Treasurer Jim Chalmers has warned inflation could spike above 5 per cent if the Middle East war drags on.
Trump distances US from Iran gas field attack
Donald Trump has distanced the US and Qatar from an Israeli attack on a key Iranian natural gas field, while warning that the US will annihilate the facility if Tehran takes any further retaliatory action against Qatar.
Iran’s massive offshore South Pars natural gas facility came under attack earlier, and the country retaliated by firing missiles at Israel and Qatari LNG sites.
Trump confirmed Israel was responsible for the attack at South Pars, saying the country had “violently lashed out” due to its anger at what has taken place in the Middle East.
“The United States knew nothing about this particular attack, and the country of Qatar was in no way, shape, or form, involved with it, nor did it have any idea that it was going to happen,” the US president said on social media.
Iran retaliates after strikes hit its gas field
Qatar said today that Iranian missile attacks damaged more liquefied natural gas sites in the energy-rich nation, “causing sizable fires and extensive further damage”.
Qatar Energy, the nation’s state-owned oil and gas company, announced the damage.
It said firefighters were working to halt the blazes and no one had been hurt so far.
Qatar is a key source of natural gas for the world’s energy markets. It already shut in its production earlier in the war, but extensive damage could delay Qatar in getting its supplies to the market after the Iran war ends.
‘There should be enough fuel’: NSW plans talks with oil industry
NSW Premier Chris Minns says there should be enough fuel in the state, but shortfalls at some service stations are undeniable, as the government seeks an answer for why.
“There’s been an increase in the fuel reserve for the domestic market, and the sulphur content has been relaxed for increased consumption,” Minns told parliament today.
“There should be enough fuel, as it stands today, for the NSW market, although undeniably we’re seeing shortfalls and limited supply in some markets,” he said.
Minns said about 80 petrol stations, primarily independents, don’t have access to diesel, and about half that number had no access to any fuel at all.
No ‘robust debate’ before Trump’s decision to strike: former official
Former US National Counterterrorism Centre director Joe Kent says he and other senior administration officials with doubts about the Iran war, were prevented from sharing them with President Donald Trump.
Speaking on Tucker Carlson’s show, Kent, who resigned this week, claimed Israel forced Trump’s hand despite what he said was no evidence that Iran posed an imminent threat to the US.
“A good deal of key decision makers were not allowed to come and express their opinion to the president,” Kent told Carlson. “There wasn’t a robust debate.”
Kent, a former Green Beret, declined to say who blocked his access to Trump when Carlson asked.
AP
Strikes on energy facilities a ‘dangerous escalation’ of conflict
The United Arab Emirates has described Iran’s attacks on its oil and gas facilities as a “dangerous escalation”, breaching international law and threatening regional stability as well as global energy security.
Authorities in Abu Dhabi say the gas operations had been shut down after interceptions over the sites.
Iran retaliated after an Israeli strike on the offshore South Pars natural gas field, which Qatar Foreign Ministry spokesman Majed al-Ansari described as “a dangerous and irresponsible step amid the current military escalation in the region”.
Qatar is home to the world’s largest LNG export plant, which was struck by a missile hours after Iran warned energy sites in Qatar, Saudi Arabia and United Arab Emirates had become “legitimate targets”.
Reuters, AP
PM uncertain how long Middle East conflict will continue
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese is uncertain how long the conflict in the Middle East will last but says the primary objective of the US and Israeli effort, to undermine the development of nuclear weapons by Iran, has been progressed.
“We’ll continue to argue for a de-escalation. It’s not certain, that’s the truth, how long this will last, but I’m hopeful that you can see an end point,” Albanese told a press conference in Hobart.
“The objectives of denying Iran the opportunity to have a development of a nuclear weapon have been secured.
“Iran’s ability to engage in attacks in the region have also been undermined by this process as well. So we’ll continue to monitor, continue to engage … but we’ll continue as well to call for that de-escalation,” Albanese said.
Despite stating that Iran’s ability to attack neighbours had been undermined, Albanese lamented attacks from Iran on 12 countries in the region, which he labelled as “unprovoked”.
“There is no justification whatsoever for Iran undertaking these attacks,” he said.
Fuel supply secure, Albanese says, as co-ordinator announced
Sticking with the prime minister’s press conference, shortly before he announced the creation of the fuel supply taskforce, Albanese implored people not to buy more fuel than they need, while assuring Australians there is enough fuel.
“Our fuel supply is currently secure. However, I want us to be over-prepared. I understand there are Australians in some parts of our nation that are really worried as they watch what is unfolding in the Middle East, and that is understandable,” Albanese said.
“But we’re doing all that we can to secure our fuel supply and to get it to the places that need it. I again reiterate today my message to Australians is, please do not take more fuel than you need. That is how you can help,” he said.
Albanese said there was “not less” fuel in Australia today compared to three weeks ago, and reiterated that the current issue is one of demand not supply.
Fuel supply taskforce to co-ordinate supply chain resilience
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has announced a new fuel supply taskforce to co-ordinate “fuel security and supply chain resilience” with states and territories.
“The commonwealth government is, of course, responsible for fuel security and supply, but it is the states and territories that are responsible for distribution. The best outcome is to ensure that Australia is overprepared, and today’s announcement reinforces that approach,” Albanese said at a press conference following a meeting of national cabinet in Hobart.
Albanese announced that Anthea Harris, a former head of the Australian Energy Regulator and the Energy Security Forum, will lead the newly created taskforce.
It will sit within the Department of Prime Minister and Cabinet and has already begun operations.
WATCH: Prime minister speaks after national cabinet meeting
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese is holding a press conference in Hobart after the national cabinet meeting on Thursday morning.
ACCC launches urgent investigation into major fuel suppliers
The consumer watchdog is investigating allegations of anti-competitive conduct by major fuel suppliers.
The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission said today the investigation would look into “diesel availability to independent wholesalers and distributors servicing regional and rural Australia”.
“The ACCC is closely scrutinising all fuel markets during this period, and we have received reports of alleged anti-competitive behaviour. We are therefore investigating these matters urgently,” chair Gina Cass-Gottlieb said.
“It is not our usual practice to publicly announce investigations, but given the significance of the issue, the ACCC is confirming this enforcement investigation. We recognise the widespread concerns held by consumers, businesses and farmers about fuel pricing and supply issues arising during the Middle Eastern conflict,” she said.
Disclaimer : This story is auto aggregated by a computer programme and has not been created or edited by DOWNTHENEWS. Publisher: www.smh.com.au
