Australia is sending an airborne warning aircraft to the Middle East and supplying missiles to the United Arab Emirates (UAE).
But Prime Minister Anthony Albanese says Australia will stay out of any attacks on Iran, aerial or ground-wise.
“Iran’s reprisal attacks continue to escalate, already at a scale and depth we have not seen before; 12 countries in the region continue to be targeted,” he told journalists in Canberra today.
“The UAE alone has been forced to shoot down over 1500 rockets and drones.”
He says Australian lives are at risk as Iran’s attacks on Israel and Gulf countries with US bases continue.
WEDGETAIL OFF TO GULF
An RAAF E-7A Wedgetail will be sent to the Persian Gulf for a month to help provide long range reconnaissance to secure airspace after he talked to UAE President Mohammed bin Zayed; a normal crew of 85 personnel will travel in it.
A Wedgetail was recently deployed to Poland to help patrol Ukraine’s supply routes and airspace; click here to read more about the aircraft.
Albanese says that the will also provide defensive Advanced Medium Range Air-to-Air Missiles (or AMRAAMs) to the UAE.
“The government has been clear that we are not taking offensive action against Iran and we have been clear that we are not deploying Australian troops on the ground in Iran,” the PM says.
“We are taking defensive action to support our partners’ efforts to keep Australians safe.”
Albanese also says that Australia will abide by Article 51 of the United Nations Charter at all times.
According to the PM, there are around 115,000 Australians in the Middle East with around 24,000 in the UAE.
Foreign Affairs crisis support teams already on the ground over there providing consular support to those stranded there; minister Penny Wong says that in 10 days since the war started, more than 27,000 flights in the region were cancelled.
“Limited outbound commercial flights have begun to operate from … Israel and continue to operate in Lebanon,” she told journalists.
“Commercial flights remain the fastest way to help Australians leave the Middle East at scale.
“I have been advised by airports and airlines that the overwhelming majority of Australians who were transiting the region and were stranded have left the Middle East.”
More than 2600 Australians have returned home from the region as repatriation flights begin touching down.
MORE GULF NEWS: Aussie shipping ‘still shielded’ from strait disruption
