Israel confirms fresh strikes on Lebanon
Israel has launched fresh strikes on Lebanon, saying it has bombed a site used by Hezbollah.
The IDF confirmed the attack on social media, claiming the Iran-backed group was attempting to rebuild an underground project previously destroyed by Israel.
Lebanon's President is accusing Israel of violating the country's sovereignty and a US-backed ceasefire.
The ceasefire was brokered in November after a year of conflict between the two sides.
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ABC News
2 hours ago
- ABC News
US president says he could bomb Iran again, as 3,200 Australians and family members register with DFAT
US President Donald Trump has warned Iran he would order another bombing raid on its nuclear sites, if Tehran resumes efforts to develop a nuclear weapon. Speaking to media in the White House on Friday US-time, Mr Trump said he would "without question, absolutely" consider more military action if necessary. His comments came as approximately 3,200 Australians and family members in Iran registered with the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT) crisis portal, with some wanting help to leave the country. On the advice of DFAT, some Australians in Iran travelled to the Iran-Azerbaijan border hoping leave Iran last week but got knocked back by Azerbaijan officials in part because they didn't have a special code, the ABC reported on Thursday. Late on Friday, a DFAT spokesperson said the backlog of Australian requests for border crossing codes had been resolved. DFAT is supporting Australians who wish to leave Iran secure seats on commercial flights that have begun operating out of the country, the spokesperson added. Iranian-Australian Maryam lives and works in Melbourne but is concerned for her mother, brother and his family who are in Iran. "The possibility of war would take everything away, you know, and you worry about what would happen to them and just how we could support them in in all of this," said Maryam. Maryam's mother is not an Australian citizen and while she has previously held visitor visas, she does not have a visa that is currently valid. DFAT allows people who are citizens or their close relatives to register for emergency assistance. Maryam said Australia backing the US strikes against Iran, and Israel's right to defend itself, did not sit well with many Iranians in Australia. "I think every Iranian I talk too, they felt very disillusioned," she said. "You're working here. You're paying tax. We are trying to contribute to this society." There are more than 85,000 Iranian-born people living in Australia, according to Home Affairs. Australian-Iranian Soroush, a civil engineer who works in fly-in fly-out jobs in West Australia, arrived back in Australia last week after leaving Iran via Turkiye. Soroush was in Iran visiting his parents and sister for the first time in two years, but his trip got cut short by the Israel-Iran war. Soroush said the trio drove from Tehran to the Iran-Turkiye border to "escape" the situation and faced chaotic situations trying to get out of the country. He had tried to register with DFAT but couldn't get through the process because of a lack of internet access in Iran. "I couldn't even phone my friends to tell them to do this for me, and then when I decided to exit from Turkiye … I thought if I get stuck somewhere I will continue registering," he said. As a fragile ceasefire between Israel and Iran continued to hold, there was further heated rhetoric from Mr Trump on Friday US-time in response to comments from Iran's Supreme Leader, Ali Khamenei, last week. Mr Trump scoffed at Ayatollah Khamenei's warning to the US not to launch future strikes on Iran, as well as the Iranian supreme leader's assertion that Tehran "won the war" with Israel. Iran's Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi hit back at Mr Trump in a post on X early on Saturday. He said a potential nuclear deal was conditional on the US ending its "disrespectful tone" toward the supreme leader. "If President Trump is genuine about wanting a deal, he should put aside the disrespectful and unacceptable tone towards Iran's Supreme Leader, Grand Ayatollah Khamenei, and stop hurting his millions of heartfelt followers," Minister Abbas Araqchi said on X. Iran has rejected a request by the UN's nuclear watchdog to visit sites bombed by the US and Israel, saying it suggested malign intent. Martin Hodgson is a senior advocate with the Foreign Prisoner Support Service, which works to get Australians detained or otherwise in jeopardy overseas back home. He said he was currently assisting "more than 10" Australians seeking to leave Iran who feared not only Israeli bombs but also Iranian authorities, who he said many suspected were using the war as cover to detain those viewed as unfriendly to the regime. This could include Iranian Australians who were known to be secular intellectuals, people of the Kurdish ethnicity, and Sunni Muslims, he said. Iran's theocratic regime and most of its population are of the Shia sect of Islam. Iranian authorities said on Wednesday (Tehran time) they had executed three men they accused of spying for Israel. Amnesty International's deputy director for the Middle East and North Africa, Hussein Baoumi, said calls from Iranian officials for expedited trials and executions of those accused of collaborating with Israel showed an effort to "weaponise the death penalty to assert control and instil fear". "The authorities must ensure all those detained are protected from enforced disappearance, torture and other ill-treatment, and afforded fair trials at all times, including during armed conflict," he said. Reuters/AP
The Australian
2 hours ago
- The Australian
US Senate effort to restrain Trump's war powers fails
An effort by US Senate Democrats to prevent President Donald Trump from taking further military action in Iran without congressional approval was blocked by Republicans, who argued the commander in chief was within his rights to launch strikes on nuclear sites a week ago. The measure failed with 47 in favour and 53 opposed on Friday, largely along party lines, shy of the required simple majority in the GOP-controlled chamber. Democratic Sen. John Fetterman of Pennsylvania sided with Republicans in voting against the measure, while GOP Sen. Rand Paul of Kentucky sided with the Democrats in backing it. The US launched pre-emptive military strikes on three of Iran's nuclear facilities last Saturday, citing Tehran's progress toward completing a nuclear weapon. Trump characterised the attacks as a complete success and later announced a ceasefire between Israel and Iran that has halted the conflict for now. Democrats and some Republicans said Trump should have come to Congress before attacking, arguing Iran didn't present an imminent threat to America. They said they were also leery of the US potentially stumbling into another overseas war, following long fights in Iran and Afghanistan. 'Wars are easy to start. But they are hard to end, and that's why the founders wanted us to debate them before the American people,' Sen. Jeff Merkley (D., Ore.) said in a speech on the Senate floor. The resolution, sponsored by Sen. Tim Kaine (D., Va.), would have ordered the removal of US troops 'from hostilities against' Iran and made it clear that Congress needs to approve further attacks. 'War is too big an issue to leave to the moods and the whims and the daily vibes of any one person,' Kaine said in a Senate floor speech prior to the vote. Paul, in explaining his vote, said that ordering US military troops into war 'is the most consequential and humbling responsibility that Congress is entrusted with,' he said in a speech on the Senate floor prior to the vote. But most Republicans said Trump, as the US military's top leader, was within his authority to launch the strikes. Some, including House Speaker Mike Johnson (R., La.), said this week that they believe that the War Powers Resolution, the 1970s law that attempts to rein in the president's powers, is unconstitutional. Sen. Bill Hagerty (R., Tenn.) called the Kaine resolution ill-conceived and said that had Trump consulted Congress, the element of surprise would have been lost. 'I cannot and I will not support a resolution that removes the ability of the president of the United States to act decisively in defence of national interests, our allies and our armed forces,' he said. Senators were briefed on the Iran strikes on Thursday. Emerging from the closed-door briefing, Sen. Lindsey Graham (R., S.C.) said that the country's 'operational capability was obliterated.' Sen. Tom Cotton (R., Ark.) said 'it's safe to say that we have struck a major blow' against Iran's nuclear program. Democrats said they agreed that the sites were significantly damaged but said they needed more information to be convinced that Iran's nuclear program was set back by more than a few months and that Trump had a longer-term plan. 'We all agree that Iran must not obtain a nuclear weapon, but bombing is not the best, most sustainable way of achieving that goal, and nothing I heard yesterday at the intelligence briefing changes that assessment,' said Sen. Chris Van Hollen (D., Md.). Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D., N.Y.) said he left the briefing with more questions than answers. 'There is no coherent strategy, no end game, no plan,' he said. Schumer and House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D., N.Y.) have criticised Trump for waiting days to send US intelligence officials to share classified details about the operations with lawmakers. Neither lawmaker was extensively briefed prior to the strikes. Dow Jones Newswires Read related topics: Donald Trump The Wall Street Journal Only a select few researchers have the skills for the hottest area in tech. Mark Zuckerberg and his rivals want to hire them, even if it takes pay packages of $US100 million. The Wall Street Journal The US President calls Canada a 'very difficult country to trade with' and ends talks over tariffs on dairy products and what he called an egregious digital-services tax on US tech companies.
The Advertiser
2 hours ago
- The Advertiser
Gaza ceasefire is possible within a week, Trump says
President Donald Trump says he believes it is possible a ceasefire in the Gaza conflict between Israel and Iran-backed Hamas militants will be reached within a week. Trump told reporters at the Oval Office that he believes a ceasefire deal is close. He said he had been just been talking to some of the people involved in trying to reach a cessation of hostilities between Israel and Hamas in the Palestinian enclave. Hamas has said it is willing to free remaining hostages in Gaza under any deal to end the war, while Israel says it can only end if Hamas is disarmed and dismantled. Hamas refuses to lay down its arms. The war in Gaza was triggered when Hamas-led militants attacked Israel on October 7, 2023, killing 1200 people and taking 251 hostages, according to Israeli tallies. Gaza's health ministry says Israel's post-October 7 military assault has killed over 56,000 Palestinians. The assault has also caused a hunger crisis, internally displaced Gaza's entire population and prompted accusations of genocide at the International Court of Justice and of war crimes at the International Criminal Court. Israel denies the accusations. Interest in resolving the Gaza conflict has picked up steam in the wake of the US and Israeli bombing of Iran's nuclear facilities. A ceasefire to the 12-day Israel-Iran conflict went into effect early this week. "I think it's close. I just spoke to some of the people involved," Trump said. "We think within the next week we're going to get a ceasefire." He did not say who he has been talking to, but he has told reporters he was in near-daily contact with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu during the Israel-Iran conflict. Trump's surprise prediction of a possible ceasefire deal in coming days came at a time when there have been few signs that the warring parties were ready to restart serious negotiations or budge from entrenched positions. A spokesperson for US special envoy Steve Witkoff's office said they had no information to share beyond Trump's comments. Witkoff helped former President Joe Biden's aides broker a ceasefire and hostage release agreement shortly before Trump took office in January but the deal soon unravelled. The Israeli embassy in Washington did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Israeli Minister for Strategic Affairs Ron Dermer plans to visit Washington starting on Monday for talks with Trump administration officials about Gaza, Iran and a possible White House visit by Netanyahu, according to a source familiar with the matter. Netanyahu said on Thursday the outcome of Israel's war with Iran presented opportunities for peace that his country must not waste. President Donald Trump says he believes it is possible a ceasefire in the Gaza conflict between Israel and Iran-backed Hamas militants will be reached within a week. Trump told reporters at the Oval Office that he believes a ceasefire deal is close. He said he had been just been talking to some of the people involved in trying to reach a cessation of hostilities between Israel and Hamas in the Palestinian enclave. Hamas has said it is willing to free remaining hostages in Gaza under any deal to end the war, while Israel says it can only end if Hamas is disarmed and dismantled. Hamas refuses to lay down its arms. The war in Gaza was triggered when Hamas-led militants attacked Israel on October 7, 2023, killing 1200 people and taking 251 hostages, according to Israeli tallies. Gaza's health ministry says Israel's post-October 7 military assault has killed over 56,000 Palestinians. The assault has also caused a hunger crisis, internally displaced Gaza's entire population and prompted accusations of genocide at the International Court of Justice and of war crimes at the International Criminal Court. Israel denies the accusations. Interest in resolving the Gaza conflict has picked up steam in the wake of the US and Israeli bombing of Iran's nuclear facilities. A ceasefire to the 12-day Israel-Iran conflict went into effect early this week. "I think it's close. I just spoke to some of the people involved," Trump said. "We think within the next week we're going to get a ceasefire." He did not say who he has been talking to, but he has told reporters he was in near-daily contact with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu during the Israel-Iran conflict. Trump's surprise prediction of a possible ceasefire deal in coming days came at a time when there have been few signs that the warring parties were ready to restart serious negotiations or budge from entrenched positions. A spokesperson for US special envoy Steve Witkoff's office said they had no information to share beyond Trump's comments. Witkoff helped former President Joe Biden's aides broker a ceasefire and hostage release agreement shortly before Trump took office in January but the deal soon unravelled. The Israeli embassy in Washington did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Israeli Minister for Strategic Affairs Ron Dermer plans to visit Washington starting on Monday for talks with Trump administration officials about Gaza, Iran and a possible White House visit by Netanyahu, according to a source familiar with the matter. Netanyahu said on Thursday the outcome of Israel's war with Iran presented opportunities for peace that his country must not waste. President Donald Trump says he believes it is possible a ceasefire in the Gaza conflict between Israel and Iran-backed Hamas militants will be reached within a week. Trump told reporters at the Oval Office that he believes a ceasefire deal is close. He said he had been just been talking to some of the people involved in trying to reach a cessation of hostilities between Israel and Hamas in the Palestinian enclave. Hamas has said it is willing to free remaining hostages in Gaza under any deal to end the war, while Israel says it can only end if Hamas is disarmed and dismantled. Hamas refuses to lay down its arms. The war in Gaza was triggered when Hamas-led militants attacked Israel on October 7, 2023, killing 1200 people and taking 251 hostages, according to Israeli tallies. Gaza's health ministry says Israel's post-October 7 military assault has killed over 56,000 Palestinians. The assault has also caused a hunger crisis, internally displaced Gaza's entire population and prompted accusations of genocide at the International Court of Justice and of war crimes at the International Criminal Court. Israel denies the accusations. Interest in resolving the Gaza conflict has picked up steam in the wake of the US and Israeli bombing of Iran's nuclear facilities. A ceasefire to the 12-day Israel-Iran conflict went into effect early this week. "I think it's close. I just spoke to some of the people involved," Trump said. "We think within the next week we're going to get a ceasefire." He did not say who he has been talking to, but he has told reporters he was in near-daily contact with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu during the Israel-Iran conflict. Trump's surprise prediction of a possible ceasefire deal in coming days came at a time when there have been few signs that the warring parties were ready to restart serious negotiations or budge from entrenched positions. A spokesperson for US special envoy Steve Witkoff's office said they had no information to share beyond Trump's comments. Witkoff helped former President Joe Biden's aides broker a ceasefire and hostage release agreement shortly before Trump took office in January but the deal soon unravelled. The Israeli embassy in Washington did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Israeli Minister for Strategic Affairs Ron Dermer plans to visit Washington starting on Monday for talks with Trump administration officials about Gaza, Iran and a possible White House visit by Netanyahu, according to a source familiar with the matter. Netanyahu said on Thursday the outcome of Israel's war with Iran presented opportunities for peace that his country must not waste. President Donald Trump says he believes it is possible a ceasefire in the Gaza conflict between Israel and Iran-backed Hamas militants will be reached within a week. Trump told reporters at the Oval Office that he believes a ceasefire deal is close. He said he had been just been talking to some of the people involved in trying to reach a cessation of hostilities between Israel and Hamas in the Palestinian enclave. Hamas has said it is willing to free remaining hostages in Gaza under any deal to end the war, while Israel says it can only end if Hamas is disarmed and dismantled. Hamas refuses to lay down its arms. The war in Gaza was triggered when Hamas-led militants attacked Israel on October 7, 2023, killing 1200 people and taking 251 hostages, according to Israeli tallies. Gaza's health ministry says Israel's post-October 7 military assault has killed over 56,000 Palestinians. The assault has also caused a hunger crisis, internally displaced Gaza's entire population and prompted accusations of genocide at the International Court of Justice and of war crimes at the International Criminal Court. Israel denies the accusations. Interest in resolving the Gaza conflict has picked up steam in the wake of the US and Israeli bombing of Iran's nuclear facilities. A ceasefire to the 12-day Israel-Iran conflict went into effect early this week. "I think it's close. I just spoke to some of the people involved," Trump said. "We think within the next week we're going to get a ceasefire." He did not say who he has been talking to, but he has told reporters he was in near-daily contact with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu during the Israel-Iran conflict. Trump's surprise prediction of a possible ceasefire deal in coming days came at a time when there have been few signs that the warring parties were ready to restart serious negotiations or budge from entrenched positions. A spokesperson for US special envoy Steve Witkoff's office said they had no information to share beyond Trump's comments. Witkoff helped former President Joe Biden's aides broker a ceasefire and hostage release agreement shortly before Trump took office in January but the deal soon unravelled. The Israeli embassy in Washington did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Israeli Minister for Strategic Affairs Ron Dermer plans to visit Washington starting on Monday for talks with Trump administration officials about Gaza, Iran and a possible White House visit by Netanyahu, according to a source familiar with the matter. Netanyahu said on Thursday the outcome of Israel's war with Iran presented opportunities for peace that his country must not waste.
