Latest news with #USbases
LBCI
3 hours ago
- Politics
- LBCI
Iran informed Qatar in advance of strikes on US bases
Iran coordinated its strikes on U.S. bases in Qatar, prompting air space closure, a source familiar with the matter told Reuters on Monday. The New York Times, which first reported the coordination, said Iran took the action to minimize casualties. Reuters
Daily Mail
3 hours ago
- Politics
- Daily Mail
BREAKING NEWS Penny Wong's tough message to Iran as it launches strikes on US bases
Foreign Minister Penny Wong has spoken out following Iran 's strikes on US bases in Qatar. 'Australia condemns Iran's strikes on US bases in Qatar and Iraq,' she said. 'We do not want to see further escalation. A full-scale war in the Middle East would be devastating for the people of the region and the world. 'Australia continues to call for de-escalation, dialogue and diplomacy.' Closure to airspace around transit hubs in the Middle East could impact flights globally, she warned. 'Australians travelling should seek updates from their airlines and follow @Smartraveller.'
The Guardian
4 hours ago
- Business
- The Guardian
Iran hits US base, leaked files reveal fracking influence claims, call for teenage YouTube ban
Morning everyone. Iran has launched missile strikes on US bases in Qatar overnight with Donald Trump reportedly in the White House situation room to monitor events, as what the French government called the Middle East's 'spiral of chaos' continued to worsen. We have reports, live developments and analysis. Also today we reveal serious concerns about the consulting activities of an obscure firm that is helping fracking companies influence traditional owners in the Northern Territory. Leaked documents reveal claims the firm promised private deals, gathered signatures and hired land council members to smooth the way for gas sales. And should under-16s also be banned from watching YouTube? Pumped up | Petrol prices could rise to $2 a litre after US military strikes on Iran, some analysts have warned. Any Australian assistance in US airstrikes on Iran could make Australia a target for retaliation, nuclear experts say, as ministers decline to comment on the potential involvement of the secretive US-Australian surveillance base at Pine Gap in Sunday's bombardment. Caravan case | The president of the New South Wales upper house has sought legal advice over whether he can seek arrest warrants for government staffers who failed to give evidence to an inquiry examining the Sydney caravan 'fake terrorism plot', Guardian Australia understands. YouTube ban | YouTube should be included in the ban on under-16s accessing social media, the nation's online safety chief has said as she urges the Albanese government to rethink its decision to exclude the platform from the new rules. 'No austerity' | The Queensland premier, David Crisafulli, has promised no austerity in his first budget, despite the state facing a forecast $218bn in debt. He says his government can 'respect people's money' and still lift public services. Super claim | A major superannuation fund is under fire for substantially increasing its investment in the coal company Whitehaven while still claiming to be committed to reaching net zero emissions. Iran retaliation | Iran has launched short-range and medium-range ballistic missiles at the US Al-Udeid air base in Qatar, officials from both sides have said. Tehran said the attacks were 'mighty and successful' but US officials said the retaliation for Sunday's blitz on Iran's nuclear installations was 'symbolic' and communicated in advance. In the UK, where there were protests against the US action (pictured), the government warned Iran that closing the oil tanker route through the strait of Hormuz would be an act of 'self-harm'. Our diplomatic editor considers why Iran's nuclear program is so important to the oil-rich nation, while airlines are paying the price for disruption. Follow developments in the Middle East here, while we also have live updates from Washington. Up in smoke | Aggressively marketed vapes threaten to undo progress made on smoking control, according to the World Health Organization. Moon shot | A giant asteroid could smash into the moon in 2032, sending debris hurtling towards Earth, researchers have said. Abortion rise | Three years after the US supreme court erased the national right to abortion, the number of abortions performed in the US is still on the rise – including in some states that ban the procedure. Self-kelp groups | Killer whales have been observed grooming each other with kelp, the first known instance of a marine animal using tools in a way that was previously thought to be the preserve of primates such as humans. US strikes Iran: the breakdown of the rules-based order Prof Ben Saul, the Challis chair of international law at the University of Sydney, tells Nour Haydar why he thinks the weekend's events signal the breakdown of the rules-based order. Sorry your browser does not support audio - but you can download here and listen $ In August last year, a curious letter and four-and-a-half pages of signatures from traditional owners arrived at the Darwin office of the head of the Aboriginal Areas Protection Authority. The letter is part of a major leak of documents from the Northern Land Council that reveals serious concerns among traditional owners and bureaucrats about the consulting activities of a company called Good Advice on behalf of the gas company Empire Energy. A new Guardian Australia investigation, launched today, reveals claims that the consulting firm allegedly promised private deals and unrealistic royalties to traditional owners, gathered signatures and hired members of the land council in its efforts to smooth the way for its client's gas sales in the Northern Territory. Empire Energy said the company had 'a long history of respectful engagement with traditional owners'. In this week's 10 Chaotic Questions feature, the Ghostbusters and Blues Brothers star Dan Aykroyd tells Sian Cain about living in a haunted house, jamming with a president, and kissing Jamie Lee Curtis. Sign up to Morning Mail Our Australian morning briefing breaks down the key stories of the day, telling you what's happening and why it matters after newsletter promotion Rugby union | British and Irish Lions managers have reminded Joe Schmidt, the Wallabies head coach, to make his national players available for their Super Rugby clubs in games against the tourists. Cricket | Centuries from India's KL Rahul and Rishabh Pant set England 371 to win the first Test at Headingley, with the hosts 21-0 in their second innings at the close of play on day four. Tennis | Emma Raducanu says her upcoming Wimbledon mixed doubles partnership with Carlos Alcaraz is a reflection of the friendly connection the pair made as they were rising up the rankings at the start of their careers. There has been a 10-fold increase to relief and recovery payments in NSW's budget since the deadly black summer bushfires, the Sydney Morning Herald says. Bans forcing homeowners to replace broken-down gas heaters and hot-water units with electric versions will not go ahead in Victoria, the Age reports. The Australian War Memorial has won a national award for its design, Canberra Times says. Politics | Lockups ahead of budgets in NSW, Queensland and ACT. Canberra | eSafety's Julie Inman Grant addresses the National Press Club. Middle East | The National Union of Students will hold a press conference in Canberra to demand Labor retract its support for the US bombing of Iran. Enjoying the Morning Mail? Then you'll love our Afternoon Update newsletter. Sign up here to finish your day with a three-minute snapshot of the day's main news, and complete your daily news roundup. And follow the latest in US politics by signing up for This Week in Trumpland. And finally, here are the Guardian's crosswords to keep you entertained throughout the day. Until tomorrow. Quick crossword Cryptic crossword If you have a story tip or technical issue viewing this newsletter, please reply to this email. If you are a Guardian supporter and need assistance with regards to contributions and/or digital subscriptions, please email
UAE Moments
4 hours ago
- Politics
- UAE Moments
Iran Attacks US Base in Qatar
Flares were seen and explosions were heard in Doha, Qatar, on Monday night, June 23, after the country announced the temporary closure of its airspace. This comes after Iran promised retaliation against the US after the latter struck the former's nuclear sites on Saturday, June 21. According to local witnesses, missiles appeared in the skies. Iran's Tasnim news agency stated that a missile operation targeted US bases in Qatar and Iraq. The operation is called 'Annunciation of Victory'. Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) confirmed the attack, saying that they launched a retaliatory missile targeting the American al-Udeid Air Base in Qatar, according to Tasnim news agency. This article was previously published on qatarmoments. To see the original article, click here
ABC News
6 hours ago
- Politics
- ABC News
Bases, soldiers and firepower: Mapping the US military's stake in the Middle East
At its narrowest point, the Persian Gulf is only 55 kilometres wide. One coastline is dotted with US military bases, and the other bank is the border of Iran. The United States has a substantial military footprint across the Middle East, amassed over decades. Several permanent bases in the region house thousands of troops, advanced military hardware, US Air Force units and US Navy fleets. Those bases are on high alert after Iran vowed to retaliate against US strikes on it nuclear sites over the weekend, warning American assets in the region were "legitimate targets". The concerns were substantiated on Monday local time, when Iran said it had launched a strike at US bases in the region. But US officials say they are "fully postured to respond", and any attack on its troops would be a mistake. Where are the US bases? Currently, there are at least 19 US military facilities across the Middle East, according to the Council on Foreign Relations. These have shifted and evolved over the years as security priorities and regional relationships changed. Eight are considered to be permanent. Among them are sites in Bahrain, Egypt, Iraq, Jordan, Kuwait, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates. The US also has about 40,000 troops deployed across the region, defence officials said. Qatar base a 'critical cornerstone' The US bases are the launch point for air, sea, and intelligence missions. The Al Udeid Air Base in Qatar, built in 1996, is the largest and most significant in the Middle East. It was among the sites targeted by Iran. It covers an area of about 24 hectares. The base hosts the US Central Command regional headquarters and more than 11,000 US and Coalition service members. The 379th Air Expeditionary Wing — the largest wing in the Air Force — is stationed at the site, along with hundreds of combat aircraft, tankers, aerial refuelling, and intelligence assets. Intelligence analysts describe the base as "a critical cornerstone of military operations". It has supported military operations across the Middle East, North Africa and South Asia, including serving as the primary staging ground for air forces in the campaign against Islamic State (ISIS) militants. The US began carrying out counterterrorism operations against ISIS across Syria and Iraq in 2014. The UK also has access to the air base. Bahrain singled out The Naval Support Activity facility in Bahrain is home to the US Navy's Fifth Fleet, which includes about 9,000 military personnel and civilian employees. Its operations cover approximately 6.5 million square km of water, spanning crucial choke points such as the Strait of Hormuz, the Suez Canal and the Strait of Bab el-Mandeb. After the US dropped more than a dozen of its 30,000-pound (14-tonne) "bunker-buster" bombs on Iran's key underground nuclear facilities on Sunday, Tehran promised to respond. The US strikes came after a week of open conflict between Israel and Iran, sparked by Israel's sudden barrage of attacks against Iran's nuclear and military structure. Iranian officials said "any country in the region or elsewhere that is used by American forces" was a target, but Bahrain was singled out. "Now it is our turn to, without wasting time, as a first step, fire missiles at the US naval fleet in Bahrain and at the same time close the Strait of Hormuz to American, British, German and French ships," Hossein Shariatmadari, a representative of Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, said in the hardline Kayhan newspaper. The aircraft carrier USS Dwight D Eisenhower and other warships crosses the Strait of Hormuz into the Persian Gulf. ( US Navy via AP ) Iraq and Syria past targets Analysts say it is possible Iran will follow through with threats to strike US military assets. US bases in Iraq have repeatedly come under attack from Iran and its proxies in recent years. "Iranian attacks against United States interests in the region appear likely, and perhaps even against the United States," Ben Zala, a senior lecturer in International Relations at Monash University, said. There are about 2,500 US troops in Iraq as part of the international coalition against ISIS. They are stationed at various installations, including the Al-Asad and Arbil air bases. Iraq's al-Asad air base is home to US forces. ( AP: Nasser Nasser/File ) Iranian missile strikes targeted Al-Asad and another US base in Erbil in 2020 in retaliation for the US killing of Iranian General Qassim Soleimani. There were no reported US deaths, but Pentagon officials said more than 100 troops were diagnosed with brain injuries following the attack. US forces in Iraq and Syria were also repeatedly targeted by pro-Iran militants following the outbreak of the Gaza war in October 2023. Iranian-backed militias launched missiles and drones at al-Asad as recently as August. The US responded with heavy strikes on Tehran-linked targets. Kuwait in the firing line Kuwait houses several sprawling military installations, including Camp Arifjan, the forward headquarters of US Army Central. The Ali Al Salem, known as "The Rock" for its isolated, rugged environment, is roughly 40km from the Iraqi border. It hosts the 386th Air Expeditionary Wing, which the military describes as the "primary airlift hub and gateway for delivering combat power to joint and coalition forces" in the region. Facilities in countries such as Qatar, Bahrain, Saudi Arabia, and Kuwait are not usually attacked. But any nearby country would be an easy target for Iran's retaliation, experts say. US bases are highly guarded facilities, including air defence systems to protect against missiles and drones. But even with sophisticated air defences, they would have limited warning time to respond to waves of missile, drone or rocket strikes. Iran weapons 'far from extinguished' Iran has spent decades building multi-tiered military capabilities at home and across the region that were at least partly aimed at deterring the US from attacking it. The country's military infrastructure has been targeted in Israeli strikes over the past week, but analysts say there would still be enough weapons to respond to the US strikes. "Iran's military capabilities are degraded but far from extinguished," said Jonathan Panikoff, from the Atlantic Council's Middle East Security Initiative. He added that Iran might also engage with allied groups in the region. "[Iran] could seek to not only leverage proxies in the Middle East to attack US interests and personnel, but also potentially undertake asymmetric attacks and terrorist attacks against global Israeli, Jewish, or US targets," he said. US troops gather to hear Donald Trump deliver remarks during a visit to Al Udeid Air Base Qatar in May 2025. ( Reuters: Brian Snyder ) The New York Times reported that US military and intelligence officials detected signs that Iran-backed militias were preparing to attack US bases in the Middle East. Bases in Iraq, and possibly Syria, were named as possible targets, but so far, the groups have held off. The chairperson of the US Joint Chiefs of Staff, General Dan Caine, said the US military had increased protection of troops in the region, including in Iraq and Syria. "Our forces remain on high alert and are fully postured to respond to any Iranian retaliation or proxy attacks, which would be an incredibly poor choice," he said. US brings in reinforcements US President Donald Trump has repeatedly warned Iran not to strike any US targets, saying any attack would be met with "the full strength and might of the US Armed Forces". Since Israel launched its surprise attack on Iran, additional US fighter jets and refuelling tankers have been deployed to the region. Earlier in the year, Washington also doubled its naval presence in the Middle East. An additional carrier strike group was deployed due to the threat posed by the Houthi rebels in Yemen. Since 2023, the Iran-backed militant group has been carrying out attacks on commercial ships in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden, including strikes against US vessels. A US MH-60 Seahawk helicopter flies over Iranian Revolutionary Guard patrol boats in the Strait of Hormuz in 2018. ( AP: Jon Gambrell ) When the extra fleet was deployed, Elizabeth Dent, a senior fellow at the Washington Institute for Near East Policy, said the move signalled two things. It suggested that the Trump administration was "posturing for sustained, decisive air operations against the Houthis and/or contingency planning in case tensions escalate with Iran," she said. UN Secretary-General António Guterres has warned that the conflict risks "descending into a rathole of retaliation". ABC/Wires
