Australia already pulling its weight on defence, PM to tell Trump
Seattle | Anthony Albanese will push back on demands Australia ratchet up its defence budget when he meets US President Donald Trump this week, saying that his government had not only increased spending but was providing bases and resources for American submarines, warships and marines.
The prime minister said he would emphasise the in-kind support Australia provides the US under the AUKUS pact, as he confirmed he was scheduled to hold his first face-to-face meeting with Trump on the sidelines of the G7 summit in Canada on Tuesday (Wednesday AEST).
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The Age
30 minutes ago
- The Age
Israel's attacks on Iran hint at a bigger goal: toppling the regime
But despite the damage inflicted by the unprecedented Israeli attack, decades of enmity towards Israel – not only among Iran's rulers but its majority-Shiite population – raises questions about the prospect for fomenting enough public support to oust an entrenched theocratic leadership in Tehran backed by loyal security forces. Loading Singh cautioned that no one knows what conditions would be required for an opposition to coalesce in Iran. Friday's assault was the first phase of what Israel said would be a prolonged operation. Experts said they expected Israel would continue to go after key Iranian nuclear infrastructure to delay Tehran's march to a nuclear bomb – even if Israel on its own does not have the capability to eliminate Iran's nuclear program. Iran says its nuclear program is for civilian purposes only. The UN nuclear watchdog concluded this week that it was in violation of its obligations under the global non-proliferation treaty. Israel's first salvoes targeted senior figures in Iran's military and scientific establishment, took out much of the country's air defence system and destroyed the above-ground enrichment plant at Iran's nuclear site. 'As a democratic country, the State of Israel believes that it is up to the people of a country to shape their national politics, and choose their government,' the Israeli embassy in Washington said. 'The future of Iran can only be determined by the Iranian people.' Netanyahu has called for a change in Iran's government, including in September. US President Donald Trump's administration, while acquiescing to Israel's strikes and helping its close ally fend off Iran's retaliatory missile barrage, has given no indication that it seeks regime change in Tehran. The White House and Iran's mission to the United Nations in New York also did not immediately respond to requests for comment on the matter. Israel has much further to go if it is to dismantle Iran's nuclear facilities, and military analysts have always said it might be impossible to totally disable the well-fortified sites dotted around Iran. The Israeli government has also cautioned that Iran's nuclear program could not be entirely destroyed by means of a military campaign. 'There's no way to destroy a nuclear program by military means,' Israel's National Security Adviser, Tzachi Hanegbi, told the country's Channel 13 TV. The military campaign could, however, create conditions for a deal with the US that would thwart the nuclear program. Analysts also remain sceptical that Israel will have the munitions needed to obliterate Iran's nuclear project on its own. Loading 'Israel probably cannot take out completely the nuclear project on its own without the American participation,' said Sima Shine, a former chief Mossad analyst and now a researcher at Israel's Institute for National Security Studies. While setting back Tehran's nuclear program would have value for Israel, the hope for regime change could explain why Israel went after so many senior military figures, potentially throwing the Iranian security establishment into confusion and chaos. 'These people were very vital, very knowledgeable, many years in their jobs, and they were a very important component of the stability of the regime, specifically the security stability of the regime,' Shine said. 'In the ideal world, Israel would prefer to see a change of regime, no question about that.' Loading But such a change would come with risk, said Jonathan Panikoff, a former US deputy national intelligence officer for the Middle East who is now at the Atlantic Council. If Israel succeeds in removing Iran's leadership, there is no guarantee the successor that emerges would not be even more hardline in pursuit of conflict with Israel. 'For years, many in Israel have insisted that regime change in Iran would prompt a new and better day – that nothing could be worse than the current theocratic regime,' Panikoff said. 'But history tells us it can always be worse.' Reuters
News.com.au
2 hours ago
- News.com.au
Macron, on Greenland visit, berates Trump for threats against the territory
French President Emmanuel Macron on Sunday criticised US President Donald Trump's threats to annex Greenland, as he made a visit to the Danish autonomous territory. "That's not what allies do," Macron said as he arrived in Nuuk, Greenland's capital. Macron is the first foreign head of state to visit the vast territory -- located at the crossroads of the Atlantic and the Arctic -- since Trump's annexation threats. Trump, since returning to the White House in January, has repeatedly said America needs the strategically located, resource-rich island for security reasons, and has refused to rule out the use of force to secure it. Denmark has also repeatedly stressed that Greenland "is not for sale." Macron said his visit was aimed at conveying "France's and the European Union's solidarity" for "the sovereignty and territorial integrity" of Greenland. Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen, Greenlandic Prime Minister Jens-Frederik Nielsen, and dozens of Greenlanders waving their territory's red-and-white flags, were on hand to greet the French president. Macron kicked off his six-hour visit with talks on board a Danish frigate with Frederiksen and Nielsen. He was to later visit a glacier to see firsthand the effects of global warming. A visit to a hydroelectric plant was initially scheduled but was cancelled at the last minute. Macron's trip to Greenland was "a signal in itself, made at the request of Danish and Greenlandic authorities", his office said ahead of the trip. - 'Not for sale' - The Danish invitation to Macron contrasts sharply with the reception granted to US Vice President JD Vance, whose one-day trip to Greenland in March was seen as a provocation by both Nuuk and Copenhagen. During his visit to the US Pituffik military base, Vance castigated Denmark for not having "done a good job by the people of Greenland", alleging they had neglected security. The Pituffik base is an essential part of Washington's missile defence infrastructure, its location putting it on the shortest route for missiles fired from Russia at the United States. Polls indicate that the vast majority of Greenland's 57,000 inhabitants want to become independent from Denmark -- but do not wish to become part of the United States. Unlike Denmark, Greenland is not part of the European Union but is on the list of Overseas Territories associated with the bloc. The Arctic has gained geostrategic importance as the race for rare earths heats up and as melting ice caused by global warming opens up new shipping routes. Copenhagen in January announced a $2 billion plan to boost its military presence in the Arctic region. NATO also plans to set up a Combined Air Operations Centre (CAOC) in Norway above the Arctic Circle, as Russia aims to bolster its military presence in the region. During his visit, Macron plans to discuss Arctic security and how to include the territory in "European action" to contribute to its development, while "respecting its sovereignty", his office said. - Mount Nunatarsuaq - Macron scheduled glacier visit was to Mount Nunatarsuaq, about 30 kilometres (19 miles) from Nuuk, to see firsthand the effects of global warming on the frontlines in the Arctic. The Arctic is warming four times faster than the rest of the planet, according to a 2022 study in scientific journal Nature, and Greenland's ice sheet melted 17 times faster than the historical average during a May 15-21 heatwave, a recent report showed. France intends to "massively reinvest in the knowledge of these ecosystems," following in the footsteps of famed French explorer Paul-Emile Victor who carried out multiple expeditions to Greenland, Macron's office said. Greenlandic authorities recently designated Victor's hut, built in 1950 in Quervain Bay in the north, as a historic structure.
The Advertiser
2 hours ago
- The Advertiser
Israel, Iran bombard each other as Trump flags easy end
Israel and Iran have launched fresh attacks on each other as US President Donald Trump says the conflict could be easily ended and warns Tehran not to strike any US targets. Israeli rescue teams and sniffer dogs combed the rubble of residential buildings destroyed in overnight strikes looking for survivors after at least 10 people, including children, were killed, authorities said. Iran said at least 138 people had been killed in Israel's onslaught since Friday including 60 on Saturday - half of them children - when a missile brought down a 14-storey apartment block in Tehran. The Israeli military warned Iranians living near weapons facilities to evacuate on Sunday after Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Trump said Israel's attacks would intensify. An official said Israel had a long list of targets in Iran and declined to say how long the offensive would continue. Sites attacked on Saturday evening included two "dual-use" fuel sites that supported military and nuclear operations, he said. Trump, who has lauded Israel's offensive and denied Iranian claims the US has taken part, warned Tehran not to widen its retaliation to include US interests. "If we are attacked in any way, shape or form by Iran, the full strength and might of the US Armed Forces will come down on you at levels never seen before," he said on Truth Social. "However, we can easily get a deal done between Iran and Israel, and end this bloody conflict." The US had been negotiating with Iran to secure a commitment to severely restrict its nuclear program, which Iran says is civilian but Israel sees as an existential threat because of its weapons potential. Trump gave no details of any possible deal. Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi said Israel's attacks had been aimed at sabotaging those talks, which were due to resume in Oman on Sunday before being cancelled. He said the offensive had the support of the US and Iran was acting in self-defence. Israel, which has not signed the global nuclear non-proliferation treaty and is thought to possess nuclear weapons, wants to stop Iran from developing atomic weapons and eliminate its ballistic missile capability. The International Atomic Energy Agency on Thursday declared Iran in breach of its obligations under the treaty. Iran said Israel had attacked the Shahran oil depot in the capital but the situation was under control. The semi-official Tasnim news agency said Israel attacked an oil refinery near the capital on Sunday, and Iran's defence ministry was damaged. It also reported the arrest of two people accused of belonging to Israel's Mossad intelligence agency in Alborz province. The latest wave of Iranian attacks on Israel began late on Saturday night, when air raid sirens sent some one million people into bomb shelters in Jerusalem and Haifa. Residents in Tel Aviv and Jerusalem were told to shelter early on Sunday amid another incoming missile barrage. The Iran-aligned Houthis, who control most of Yemen, said they had launched ballistic missiles towards Jaffa near Tel Aviv, the first time an ally of Iran has reportedly joined the fray. Conflict in the Middle East has decimated Tehran's strongest regional proxies - the Hamas militia in Gaza and Hezbollah in Lebanon - reducing its options for retaliation. Israeli authorities said at least 10 people were killed in overnight missile strikes in northern and central Israel, including three children. At least six people were killed by an Iranian missile that hit a cluster of residential buildings in the town of Bat Yam. In the Arab town of Tamra in northern Israel, four women were killed, including a mother and her two daughters. Israel and Iran have launched fresh attacks on each other as US President Donald Trump says the conflict could be easily ended and warns Tehran not to strike any US targets. Israeli rescue teams and sniffer dogs combed the rubble of residential buildings destroyed in overnight strikes looking for survivors after at least 10 people, including children, were killed, authorities said. Iran said at least 138 people had been killed in Israel's onslaught since Friday including 60 on Saturday - half of them children - when a missile brought down a 14-storey apartment block in Tehran. The Israeli military warned Iranians living near weapons facilities to evacuate on Sunday after Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Trump said Israel's attacks would intensify. An official said Israel had a long list of targets in Iran and declined to say how long the offensive would continue. Sites attacked on Saturday evening included two "dual-use" fuel sites that supported military and nuclear operations, he said. Trump, who has lauded Israel's offensive and denied Iranian claims the US has taken part, warned Tehran not to widen its retaliation to include US interests. "If we are attacked in any way, shape or form by Iran, the full strength and might of the US Armed Forces will come down on you at levels never seen before," he said on Truth Social. "However, we can easily get a deal done between Iran and Israel, and end this bloody conflict." The US had been negotiating with Iran to secure a commitment to severely restrict its nuclear program, which Iran says is civilian but Israel sees as an existential threat because of its weapons potential. Trump gave no details of any possible deal. Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi said Israel's attacks had been aimed at sabotaging those talks, which were due to resume in Oman on Sunday before being cancelled. He said the offensive had the support of the US and Iran was acting in self-defence. Israel, which has not signed the global nuclear non-proliferation treaty and is thought to possess nuclear weapons, wants to stop Iran from developing atomic weapons and eliminate its ballistic missile capability. The International Atomic Energy Agency on Thursday declared Iran in breach of its obligations under the treaty. Iran said Israel had attacked the Shahran oil depot in the capital but the situation was under control. The semi-official Tasnim news agency said Israel attacked an oil refinery near the capital on Sunday, and Iran's defence ministry was damaged. It also reported the arrest of two people accused of belonging to Israel's Mossad intelligence agency in Alborz province. The latest wave of Iranian attacks on Israel began late on Saturday night, when air raid sirens sent some one million people into bomb shelters in Jerusalem and Haifa. Residents in Tel Aviv and Jerusalem were told to shelter early on Sunday amid another incoming missile barrage. The Iran-aligned Houthis, who control most of Yemen, said they had launched ballistic missiles towards Jaffa near Tel Aviv, the first time an ally of Iran has reportedly joined the fray. Conflict in the Middle East has decimated Tehran's strongest regional proxies - the Hamas militia in Gaza and Hezbollah in Lebanon - reducing its options for retaliation. Israeli authorities said at least 10 people were killed in overnight missile strikes in northern and central Israel, including three children. At least six people were killed by an Iranian missile that hit a cluster of residential buildings in the town of Bat Yam. In the Arab town of Tamra in northern Israel, four women were killed, including a mother and her two daughters. Israel and Iran have launched fresh attacks on each other as US President Donald Trump says the conflict could be easily ended and warns Tehran not to strike any US targets. Israeli rescue teams and sniffer dogs combed the rubble of residential buildings destroyed in overnight strikes looking for survivors after at least 10 people, including children, were killed, authorities said. Iran said at least 138 people had been killed in Israel's onslaught since Friday including 60 on Saturday - half of them children - when a missile brought down a 14-storey apartment block in Tehran. The Israeli military warned Iranians living near weapons facilities to evacuate on Sunday after Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Trump said Israel's attacks would intensify. An official said Israel had a long list of targets in Iran and declined to say how long the offensive would continue. Sites attacked on Saturday evening included two "dual-use" fuel sites that supported military and nuclear operations, he said. Trump, who has lauded Israel's offensive and denied Iranian claims the US has taken part, warned Tehran not to widen its retaliation to include US interests. "If we are attacked in any way, shape or form by Iran, the full strength and might of the US Armed Forces will come down on you at levels never seen before," he said on Truth Social. "However, we can easily get a deal done between Iran and Israel, and end this bloody conflict." The US had been negotiating with Iran to secure a commitment to severely restrict its nuclear program, which Iran says is civilian but Israel sees as an existential threat because of its weapons potential. Trump gave no details of any possible deal. Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi said Israel's attacks had been aimed at sabotaging those talks, which were due to resume in Oman on Sunday before being cancelled. He said the offensive had the support of the US and Iran was acting in self-defence. Israel, which has not signed the global nuclear non-proliferation treaty and is thought to possess nuclear weapons, wants to stop Iran from developing atomic weapons and eliminate its ballistic missile capability. The International Atomic Energy Agency on Thursday declared Iran in breach of its obligations under the treaty. Iran said Israel had attacked the Shahran oil depot in the capital but the situation was under control. The semi-official Tasnim news agency said Israel attacked an oil refinery near the capital on Sunday, and Iran's defence ministry was damaged. It also reported the arrest of two people accused of belonging to Israel's Mossad intelligence agency in Alborz province. The latest wave of Iranian attacks on Israel began late on Saturday night, when air raid sirens sent some one million people into bomb shelters in Jerusalem and Haifa. Residents in Tel Aviv and Jerusalem were told to shelter early on Sunday amid another incoming missile barrage. The Iran-aligned Houthis, who control most of Yemen, said they had launched ballistic missiles towards Jaffa near Tel Aviv, the first time an ally of Iran has reportedly joined the fray. Conflict in the Middle East has decimated Tehran's strongest regional proxies - the Hamas militia in Gaza and Hezbollah in Lebanon - reducing its options for retaliation. Israeli authorities said at least 10 people were killed in overnight missile strikes in northern and central Israel, including three children. At least six people were killed by an Iranian missile that hit a cluster of residential buildings in the town of Bat Yam. In the Arab town of Tamra in northern Israel, four women were killed, including a mother and her two daughters. Israel and Iran have launched fresh attacks on each other as US President Donald Trump says the conflict could be easily ended and warns Tehran not to strike any US targets. Israeli rescue teams and sniffer dogs combed the rubble of residential buildings destroyed in overnight strikes looking for survivors after at least 10 people, including children, were killed, authorities said. Iran said at least 138 people had been killed in Israel's onslaught since Friday including 60 on Saturday - half of them children - when a missile brought down a 14-storey apartment block in Tehran. The Israeli military warned Iranians living near weapons facilities to evacuate on Sunday after Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Trump said Israel's attacks would intensify. An official said Israel had a long list of targets in Iran and declined to say how long the offensive would continue. Sites attacked on Saturday evening included two "dual-use" fuel sites that supported military and nuclear operations, he said. Trump, who has lauded Israel's offensive and denied Iranian claims the US has taken part, warned Tehran not to widen its retaliation to include US interests. "If we are attacked in any way, shape or form by Iran, the full strength and might of the US Armed Forces will come down on you at levels never seen before," he said on Truth Social. "However, we can easily get a deal done between Iran and Israel, and end this bloody conflict." The US had been negotiating with Iran to secure a commitment to severely restrict its nuclear program, which Iran says is civilian but Israel sees as an existential threat because of its weapons potential. Trump gave no details of any possible deal. Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi said Israel's attacks had been aimed at sabotaging those talks, which were due to resume in Oman on Sunday before being cancelled. He said the offensive had the support of the US and Iran was acting in self-defence. Israel, which has not signed the global nuclear non-proliferation treaty and is thought to possess nuclear weapons, wants to stop Iran from developing atomic weapons and eliminate its ballistic missile capability. The International Atomic Energy Agency on Thursday declared Iran in breach of its obligations under the treaty. Iran said Israel had attacked the Shahran oil depot in the capital but the situation was under control. The semi-official Tasnim news agency said Israel attacked an oil refinery near the capital on Sunday, and Iran's defence ministry was damaged. It also reported the arrest of two people accused of belonging to Israel's Mossad intelligence agency in Alborz province. The latest wave of Iranian attacks on Israel began late on Saturday night, when air raid sirens sent some one million people into bomb shelters in Jerusalem and Haifa. Residents in Tel Aviv and Jerusalem were told to shelter early on Sunday amid another incoming missile barrage. The Iran-aligned Houthis, who control most of Yemen, said they had launched ballistic missiles towards Jaffa near Tel Aviv, the first time an ally of Iran has reportedly joined the fray. Conflict in the Middle East has decimated Tehran's strongest regional proxies - the Hamas militia in Gaza and Hezbollah in Lebanon - reducing its options for retaliation. Israeli authorities said at least 10 people were killed in overnight missile strikes in northern and central Israel, including three children. At least six people were killed by an Iranian missile that hit a cluster of residential buildings in the town of Bat Yam. In the Arab town of Tamra in northern Israel, four women were killed, including a mother and her two daughters.
