Listen to Australian and world news, and follow trending topics with SBS News Podcasts.
TRANSCRIPT:
President Donald Trump says the United States has bombed three nuclear sites in Iran - in what he called a spectacular success.
Iran's Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi has accused the United States of breaching international law and joining Israel's war, saying in a post on social media that “Iran reserves all options to defend its sovereignty, interest, and people."
Mr Trump says the strikes were necessary to destroy any ability for Iran to develop nuclear weapons and has warned against any retaliation.
"Iran's key nuclear enrichment facilities have been completely and totally obliterated. This cannot continue. Iran, the bully of the Middle East, must now make peace. If they do not, future attacks will be far greater and a lot easier. There will be tragedy for Iran, far greater than we have witnessed over the last eight days."
Iran’s nuclear agency has confirmed the attacks on the three nuclear sites - Fordo, Isfahan and Natanz - while a local politician claims the primary target at Fordo has only been superficially damaged.
While questions remain on how Iran will respond to the U-S strikes, Israel says a new volley of Iranian missiles have been launched at their territory.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has congratulated Donald Trump for his decision to bomb Iranian nuclear sites, saying the United States President has changed history.
The strikes come after Mr Netanyahu, who has rallied against the Iranian regime and its potential for developing nuclear weapons since the 90s, launched a surprise Israeli assault on Iran earlier this month.
Israel itself is believed to have about 90 nuclear warheads of their own.
Prime Minister Netanyahu claims President Trump's military intervention has created a path for peace.
“Your bold decision to target Iran’s nuclear facilities with the awesome and righteous might of the United States will change history. It has done what no other country on earth could do. His leadership today has created a pivot of history that can help lead the Middle East and beyond to a future of prosperity and peace. President Trump and I often say, ‘Peace through strength’. First comes strength, then comes peace. And tonight, President Trump and the United States acted with a lot of strength.”
The Albanese government has called for de-escalation, dialogue and diplomacy as fears of all out war between the United States and Iran take hold.
The Trump administration's bombing of Iran has been seen as a dramatic escalation of Israel's surprise air assault on their geopolitical rival, launched earlier this month.
Defence Minister Richard Marles tells Sky News that the government agrees with the US and Israel on the perceived risk of an Iranian nuclear program but fears this could escalate into a broader conflict.
"We obviously recognise Israel's right to defend itself and we very much acknowledge the risk that the Iranian nuclear and ballistic missile program represents to both the region and the stability of the world in fact. But, we are concerned about the prospect of escalation here and this entering into some wider kind of conflict here and that's why we're exercising our voice internationally, along with many other countries, to de-escalate and put an emphasis on dialogue and diplomacy."
The International Atomic Energy Agency says they have found no proof or evidence of an active nuclear weapons program in Iran.
Thousands of construction students will now complete their apprenticeships for free under a major TAFE investment by the New South Wales government.
The state government has committed $3.4 billion to TAFE across New South Wales to help train tradies and get them through their studies and onto job sites.
The funding comes as construction sites across Australia face a skills shortage amid a growing demand for housing.
The investment includes $40 million to ensure 23,000 construction workers can get their apprenticeships done for free.
In sport,
Australian golfer Minjee Lee is on the precipice of landing a third career major and one of the biggest pay days in women's golf now that she's seized a commanding lead at the P-G-A Championship in Texas.
The superstar has defied sweltering conditions with a sublime third-round three-under-par 69 to skip out to a four-shot lead at P-G-A Frisco's scorching and windswept Fields Ranch East course.
Lee started the day three shots behind world-number-two Jeeno Thitikul but then the Perth prodigy collected her first birdie of the day on the ninth hole, then nabbed two more on 14 and 15 to turn a three-shot deficit into a four-stroke buffer.
