Iran retaliates, with attacks on US bases in the Middle East

SBS Australia

23-06-2025

Iran has retaliated against the United States, launching missile attacks at U-S military bases in Qatar and Iraq. Qatar says it has successfully intercepted the missiles fired at the Al Udeid Air Base, and there have been no casualties. The Ain Al Assad base in western Iraq has also been targeted. Iran claims the number of missiles it fired at the base in Qatar matches the number of bombs the U-S dropped on its nuclear sites over the weekend. A spokesman for the Iranian armed forces, Colonel Iman Tajik, says the strikes are designed to send an unequivocal message to the world. (Farsi, then translated* "The message of the decisive action by the sons of the nation in the Armed Forces is clear and direct to the White House and its allies: The Islamic Republic of Iran, relying on Almighty God and the steadfast support of its devout and proud people, will not leave any act of aggression against its territorial integrity, sovereignty, or national security unanswered under any circumstances." The Australian Council of Social Services says around one in eight Australian adults, and one in six children, are now living below the poverty line. That's around 3.3 million people. It comes as the Salvation Army has released new research about just how dire things are for the people it helps. In a survey of 3,500 people it supports, more than one-third said they can only wash with cold water, and 43 per cent say they cannot afford toilet paper, menstrual products, or soap. The cost of living crisis is also affecting children's education, with 34 per cent of people saying their children have missed school as they cannot afford either the petrol to drive them there, or the relevant public transport fares. The New South Wales government is trumpeting more spending on essential services in the state budget. Treasurer Daniel Mookhey will today hand down the budget, his third. He says his government has reduced the state's gross debt by more than nine billion dollars since they took office in 2023, freeing up more money to spend on essential services. This budget will allocated around nine billion dollars over four years on public school infrastructure, largely focused on growing suburban communities. There will be 700 million allocated to the new Bankstown Hospital in Sydney's west, and 270 million dollars for various aspects of the justice system, including police technology, courts, and public spaces. The biggest cohort of First Nations graduates from a single degree have been celebrated at Monash University in Melbourne. The Master of Indigenous Business Leadership, now in its fifth year, is co-designed and led by Indigenous business leaders, Elders and academics. This year's graduating class includes 17 students from more than 20 communities across the country. Kaley Nicholson, a 2025 graduate with family lines throughout Victoria and into New South Wales, says she is excited about embracing First Nations knowledge. "There is nothing more self-determined or self-determining than having your own business. You make every decision, the success and failure of that business really rests on your shoulders. And so that's an incredibly daunting thing to think about, but also it's so freeing." In tennis, Aussie Daria Katsakina's miserable build-up to Wimbledon has continued, with a defeat in the first round of the Eastbourne tournament, which she won last year. Australia's top-ranked female player, ranked number 11 in the world, has lost to New Zealander Lulu Sun, 7-5, 2-6, 6-3 on the English south coast. The windy conditions played havoc with Katsakina's high ball toss, contributing to her serving 11 double faults. There's been better news, however, for Queensland teenager Maya Joint. She's upset Tunisian Ons Jabeur in round one, 7-5, 6-2. Jabeur has made three major finals in her career.