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TRANSCRIPT
- US Secretary of State Marco Rubio lays out the rationale for preemptive strikes on Iran ...
- Police kill an alleged armed intruder in Sydney...
- The Matildas say their hearts go out to Iran's team ahead of their clash at the Asia Cup.
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio says the US decision to wage war on Iran was triggered by Israel's determination to strike and a belief America would inevitably be drawn into the conflict.
The initial US and Israeli attack was launched over the weekend while negotiations over Iran's nuclear and missile programs were still underway.
President Donald Trump had been threatening military action for weeks, as the US built up its forces in the Middle East.
But Mr Rubio says Israel was the catalyst for Mr Trump's decision to launch so-called preemptive strikes.
"We knew that there was going to be an Israeli action. We knew that that would precipitate an attack against American forces. And we knew that if we didn't preemptively go after them before they launched those attacks, we would suffer higher casualties.”
A spokesperson for the Saudi defence ministry says the US embassy in Riyadh has sustained material damage but no casualties after two drones ignited a limited fire.
It comes as America's Central Command confirms the death of a sixth US service person, and President Trump warns the war against Iran could stretch out for more than a month.
The conflict appears to be receiving a lukewarm reception in the US, with a new Reuters/Ipsos poll suggesting just one quarter of voters support the war.
The issue is likely to shape the outcome of midterm elections this year, given Mr Trump campaigned against involvement with foreign wars.
New York protester Travis Morales says Trump has created a crisis.
“I would like to see millions and tens of millions of people flood the streets of this country to demand the Trump fascist regime must go. And to create such a profound political crisis that this fascist regime is driven from power, you know, and to go up against the lie that this government is out to liberate the Iranian people. This government has never, the United States has never liberated anybody except maybe the slaves in the Civil War. It's a whole history of domination, slaughter and invasion.”
New South Wales Police have shot and killed a man after he allegedly entered a Potts Point unit complex and assaulted two women on Tuesday morning.
Police will allege the man was armed with a knife, that he threatened police, and efforts to subdue him with a taser were ineffective.
Assistant Commissioner Peter McKenna says a crime scene has been established and a critical incident investigation is underway.
He says the injuries sustained by the women were serious but not life-threatening.
"Two females, from two different units, we believe at this point in time, a 48 year old female and a 56 year old female; both those females have head and facial injuries, and both have been taken to hospital, one with more significant injuries than the other, but believed not to be life threatening."
The Bureau of Meteorology says a desert storm has started to weaken after crossing the country, cutting off rail networks and communities in the process.
For the first time in almost two weeks, severe weather warnings of torrential rain and flash flooding have been cancelled by the Bureau of Meteorology.
However, the Bureau says a new threat looms in northern Australia as a tropical low gathers strength in the Coral Sea and North Queensland is bracing for more rain from the potential cyclone.
The country's freight routes have been devastated by the wild weather across South Australia, western Victoria and southern NSW, according to the Australian Rail Track Corporation.
To sport now and in football,
Matildas players say their hearts go out to the Iranian women's soccer team and the players' families, as the sides prepare to play one another in the Asia Cup.
Matildas players are on the Gold Coast as they ready for Thursday's match, after opening the tournament with a 1-nil win over the Philippines.
Emma Checker commended the visiting team for its bravery in the face of conflict at home.
"We are excited and looking forward to the game on Thursday. The best we can do to contribute is play a good game of football and show them the respect on the field."
