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Sky News AU
18 hours ago
- Politics
- Sky News AU
'Dire consequences': Foreign Minister Penny Wong calls for urgent de-escalation in Israel-Iran conflict
Foreign Minister Penny Wong has urged both Iran and Israel to immediately de-escalate hostilities amid mounting fears of a wider regional war. Iran and Israel have continued to trade rocket fire over the weekend, after senior Iranian military officials and nuclear scientists were killed in targeted strikes. Ms Wong described the situation 'perilous' and said the Albanese government was urging restraint on all sides. 'Obviously this is a very perilous situation. It's a very risky situation,' she told the ABC's Insiders program on Sunday. 'We urge de-escalation, we urge restraint, we urge dialogue and diplomacy, and that call has been reflected by like-minded and partners.' Ms Wong did not directly comment on Israel's initial pre-emptive strikes on Iranian nuclear sites, expressing a cautious stance on criticising its military actions. 'Israel has a right to self-defence. It does have a right to self-defence,' Ms Wong said. 'What I would say is the key issue is not, you know, 'Is there a threat?' There is. We all know that. 'It's whether or not in response to it we increase the risk of regional escalation and that would have dire consequences to the people of the region.' Her comments come after a deadly series of strikes and counter-strikes between Israel and Iran, triggered by Israel's bombing of Iranian nuclear facilities on Friday. Iran claimed the attacks killed senior military officials and scientists, and retaliated with more than 100 drones aimed at Israel. The violence escalated further over the weekend and Iran has accused Israel of striking the major Shahran oil depot northwest of Tehran. The Israeli Air Force confirmed it was 'attacking military targets in Tehran, in parallel with the activity of intercepting missiles launched from Iran'. Israeli Defence Force International Spokesperson Lieutenant Colonel Nadav Shoshani also said the military was attempting to block Iranian strikes. "While the IDF is operating to intercept missiles launched from Iran, the IAF is currently striking military targets in Tehran," he wrote on X on Saturday night. Israel's Defence Minister Israel Katz took to social media to declare "Tehran is burning" not long after news broke of the attack on the oil facility. The conflict has sparked concern for various world leaders, including President Trump who confirmed he discussed the conflict with Russian President Vladimir Putin. "The call lasted approximately one hour. He feels, as do I, this war in Israel-Iran should end, to which I explained, his war (with Ukraine) should also end," he said. The Kremlin has confirmed the call took place between the two leaders, in which President Trump claims Putin wished him a happy 79th birthday. Kremlin spokesperson Yuri Ushakov said Putin condemned the Israeli military operation against Iran and expressed concern about the risks of escalation. President Trump's comments mark the first time he has explicitly called for an end to hostilities between Israel and Iran since it began late last week. Iran said 78 people were killed on the first day of Israel's campaign, including 60 when a missile brought down a 14-storey apartment block in Tehran. Iran had launched its own retaliatory missile volley on Friday night, killing at least three people in Israel. Israel's ambulance service said a woman in her 20s was killed and 13 other people injured when a missile struck a two-story house in northern Israel. -with Reuters
Sky News AU
19 hours ago
- Politics
- Sky News AU
Iran and Israel trade fresh missile strikes amid rising tensions in Middle East, as Donald Trump calls for end to conflict
Iran and Israel have traded a fresh round of rocket fire, as United States President Donald Trump declares the deadly conflict "should end". Tensions have been growing between Tehran and Jerusalem after Israel's strikes on Iranian nuclear facilities on Friday, which it claimed killed senior military officials and scientists. Iran in turn fired 100 drones towards Israel in the hours following the attack, after vowing a "harsh and decisive" response in retaliation to the strikes. The conflict has continued to escalate over the weekend, with both Israel and Iran exchanging a new wave of missiles on late Saturday night, local time. Iran has claimed Israeli strikes have pounded its major Shahran oil depot located north-west of Tehran, with reports of a fire breaking out soon after the attack on the facility. Meanwhile, the Israeli Air Force confirmed it is "attacking military targets in Tehran, in parallel with the activity of intercepting missiles launched from Iran". Israeli Defence Force International Spokesperson Lieutenant Colonel Nadav Shoshani also said the military is attempting to block Iranian strikes. "While the IDF is operating to intercept missiles launched from Iran, the IAF is currently striking military targets in Tehran," he wrote on X on Saturday night. Israel's Defence Minister Israel Katz took to social media to declare "Tehran is burning" not long after news broke of the attack on the oil facility. The conflict has sparked concern for various world leaders, including President Trump who confirmed he discussed the Israel-Iran war during a call with Russian President Vladimir Putin. "The call lasted approximately one hour. He feels, as do I, this war in Israel-Iran should end, to which I explained, his war (with Ukraine) should also end," the President wrote on Truth Social. The Kremlin has confirmed the call took place between the two leaders, in which President Trump claims Putin wished him a happy 79th birthday. Kremlin spokesperson Yuri Ushakov said Putin condemned the Israeli military operation against Iran and expressed concern about the risks of escalation. President Trump's comments mark the first time he has explicitly called for an end to hostilities between Washington's ally Israel and its Middle East rival Iran since it began late last week. Reuters reports that several projectiles could be seen in the night sky over Jerusalem late on Saturday, while sirens could be heard in the northern Israeli city of Haifa. Iran said 78 people were killed on the first day of Israel's campaign, and scores more on the second, including 60 when a missile brought down a 14-storey apartment block in Tehran. Iran had launched its own retaliatory missile volley on Friday night, killing at least three people in Israel. Israel's ambulance service said a woman in her 20s was killed and 13 other people injured when a missile struck a two-story house in northern Israel. - with Reuters
