Middle East war updates: Iran hits back after Donald Trump orders strikes on nation for downing of helicopter

Australia and its allies will co-ordinate on targeted sanctions “and other measures” as attacks on Palestinians by Israeli settlers in the Occupied West Bank surge.

A United Nations report has alleged that at least seven Palestinians had been killed and more than 800 injured in the past year, a 130 per cent rise on 2024.

Violence in the territories, which are bisected by areas of Israeli and nominal Palestinian civilian control, has risen exponentially since Hamas’ October 7 attack on Israel that left more than 1200 Israelis dead and as Israel’s government approves a rapid expansion of settlements, which are illegal according to international law.

In a joint statement, the foreign ministers of Australia, Canada, France, Norway, and the UK pledged to respond to the “deteriorating situation in the West Bank” through “co-ordinated action to introduce sanctions and other measures to hold extremist settlers accountable for the horrific levels of settler violence against Palestinian civilians”.

“Extremist violent settlers, with the backing of their supporters, continue to attack Palestinians and abuse their human rights,” the statement said.

“They use violence to displace Palestinians, destroy property and perpetuate the illegal settlement enterprise, undermining the viability of the State of Palestine and the prospects for peaceful coexistence.”

“They use violence to displace Palestinians, destroy property and perpetuate the illegal settlement enterprise, undermining the viability of the State of Palestine and the prospects for peaceful coexistence.”

Explosions have been heared in Qeshm city, believed to be in relation to conflict in the Strait of Hormuz, the Mehr News Agency is reporting.

The Qeshm island — which is in the Strait — was targeted by US military earlier on Wednesday.

“Although the exact nature of these sounds is still unknown, given the volume of the sound, the source of the explosion may have been a relatively large distance from the city of Qeshm,” a statement from the Mehr News Agency said.

The Bahrain Defence Force says it has intercepted Iranian drones which it says were part of a “treacherous” air attack.

“The General Command clarifies that, with strong will and high combat readiness, the air defense systems attacked Bahrain’s defense force, intercepted and destroyed a number of treacherous Iranian air strikes,” a statement said.

“The General Command assures that all its weapons and units are at the highest readiness and on defensive readiness to protect the kingdom.

“The General Command insists that the deliberate use of missiles and marching aircraft to target civilians and private property is a blatant violation of International Humanitarian Law.”

The Reserve Bank won’t be able to cut interest rates even if Australia falls into a recession and house prices plunge, a leading economist fears.

The futures market sees no prospect of a rate rise on Tuesday next week, with unemployment already at a four-year high of 4.5 per cent in April.

Among the big four banks, NAB on Tuesday became the first to signal the next move from the RBA would be a cut to the existing 4.35 per cent cash rate.

But HSBC chief economist Paul Bloxham said the Reserve Bank would be unable to cut rates, even if the economy went backwards in the June quarter and possibly too in the September quarter, which would mark Australia’s first technical recession since 1991 caused by higher interest rates.

“I don’t think the RBA’s going to be able to sweep in and cut interest rates any time soon like often they do in the face of a downturn,” he told The Nightly.

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The Israeli military has hit Hezbollah rocket launcher sites and infrastructure for launching attack drones in southern Lebanon’s Tyre region and several other locations.

Six sites were attacked by the military in Tyre while “loaded and ready-to-launch launchers” were struck elsewhere in the south, it said.

The IDF has also claimed two members of Hamas’ “funds transfer network” were killed in Gaza.

Australian government advisory Smartraveller is warning against travel to Bahrain, Iran, Iraq, Israel, Kuwait, Lebanon, Palestine, Qatar, Syria, UAE, and Yemen.

“The situation in the Middle East region remains volatile,” a Smartraveller statement said.

“There remains a risk of further attacks and escalation.

“If strikes occur in your location, prioritise your safety, monitor events & follow local advice, including shelter in place instructions.”

Smartraveller has also advised travellers to reconsider travelling to Jordan, Oman, and Saudi Arabia.

US House speaker Mike Johnson is among the many senior American officials who have played down the significance of the strikes on Iran.

He called them “targeted, proportional and defensive in nature”.

Mr Johnson said that he spent several hours in the situation room with US President Donald Trump, Vice President, JD Vance, Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth talking about the war and other matters.

He said that once Iran hit US assets and personnel in the region, their hand was forced.

“We lament that has become necessary,” Mr Johnson said. “We can’t allow that.”

Iran’s Foreign Ministry has told neighbours in the Gulf that they have a “legal and moral responsibility” to prevent American and Israeli strikes.

In a statement, it “reiterated the legal and moral responsibility of all countries in the region (especially those located along the southern shores of the Persian Gulf) to prevent the US military and Israel from using their territory or facilities to plan, organise, execute, or support hostile actions against Iran”.

with agencies

Afghanistan says Pakistan has launched new airstrikes targeting the country, killing at least 13 people and wounding 14 others.

Taliban chief spokesperson Zabihullah Mujahid announced the airstrikes on Wednesday, which he said targeted the Afghan provinces of Khost, Kunar and Paktika.

He said the strikes killed 11 children, one woman and an elderly man.

There was no immediate acknowledgement of the strikes from Pakistan.

with agencies

Jordan says it has intercepted and destroyed five missiles launched from Iran that were headed towards the Al-Azraq region in Zarqa province.

The Jordanian military said its air defence systems shot down the missiles before they reached their target, with debris falling to the ground but causing no injuries or damage.

Military engineering teams have since been deployed to secure the crash sites and clear any unexploded remnants.

Jordan’s armed forces said they remain on the highest level of alert and warned they would not tolerate any violation of the country’s airspace as tensions continue to escalate across the region.