Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has announced Australia will send military assets to the Middle East in response to a formal request from the United Arab Emirates (UAE).
In response to U.S. and Israeli strikes, Iran has launched waves of missile and drone attacks across the region.
Here’s what you need to know about Australia’s involvement.
Context
The U.S. and Israel launched strikes on Iran on 28 February (AEDT), killing the country’s Supreme Leader.
Since then, Iran has been firing missiles and drones across the Middle East, hitting 12 countries.
The UAE says it has shot down more than 1,500 rockets and drones, with an Iranian strike hitting Dubai Airport on 1 March.
Australia has around 115,000 citizens in the Middle East, with roughly 24,000 of them in the UAE.
Albanese said the decision to send military supplies followed a direct conversation with UAE President Mohammed bin Zayed, who asked for support.
“The first priority of my government is and always will be to keep Australians safe,” Albanese said.
“Helping Australians means also helping the UAE and other Gulf nations to defend themselves against what are unprovoked attacks.”
Military assets
Australia has sent an E-7A Wedgetail plane to the UAE, departing on Tuesday.
The plane will be operated by Australian Defence Force (ADF) personnel.
Your contribution ensures The Daily Aus can continue doing the work you love.
I want to give $10 monthly to help TDA keep doing the news.
Your details:
It is expected to be up and running in the region by the end of the week, for an initial four-week deployment.
The ADF says it can cover an area the size of Western Australia on a standard mission. It can track airborne and maritime targets at the same time.
Defence Minister Richard Marles described it as “one of the leading capabilities in the world in terms of airborne long range reconnaissance and command.”
Australia previously deployed the same aircraft to Poland to monitor Russian activity near Ukraine.
The Government is also providing “advanced medium range air-to-air missiles” to the UAE.
On the missiles, Marles said: “These are defensive weapons and I want to make that clear.”
Actions
Despite sending supplies, Albanese said Australia was “not taking offensive action against Iran,” and will not send Australian troops to fight “on the ground in Iran.”
Last week, Albanese confirmed three Australian Navy personnel were aboard a U.S. submarine that torpedoed and sank an Iranian warship off Sri Lanka, killing 87 sailors.
He said those personnel were there under AUKUS training arrangements and took no offensive action.
The Greens and the Opposition have commented on Australia’s involvement.
Greens defence spokesperson David Shoebridge said the Government had “gone from supporting the war politically, to having Australian personnel part of U.S. military attacks, to now putting troops on the ground.”
Speaking to the ABC on Monday night, before the announcement, Shadow Defence Minister James Paterson said sending a Wedgetail would be “plausibly a defence capability”.
“Some of the other distinctions... between offensive and defensive actions by Australia, I think, are harder to defend,” he said.
