Israel says it's begun a fresh wave of airstrikes against Iran, targeting launch sites, defence systems and additional infrastructure of the Iranian regime.

It says its fighter jets have also struck an underground nuclear site where it claims scientists were covertly developing a key component for nuclear weapons.

Meanwhile, Iran has continued its own campaign of strikes on Israel and US-allied Gulf countries with the UAE saying it's faced more than one thousand attacks.

It comes amid reports the former supreme leader son, Mojtaba Khamenei, has been appointed as the new leader of the Islamic Republic.

New figures show the Australian economy grew two point six per cent in the December quarter, year on year.

It's a much higher rate of growth than expected and coincides with the reserve bank recently lifting interest rates.

But with global markets taking a hit amid war in the middle east, and oil prices spiking, it's unclear how the world economy will be affected in the coming weeks and months.

Liberal leader Angus Taylor has defended his party's decision to suppress the findings of an internal review into its disastrous 2025 election loss.

The findings were leaked in recent days with Prime Minister Anthony Albanese also tabling the review in parliament yesterday.

Mr Taylor says the party's developing a plan to improve the Liberal's electoral appeal.

The first flight from Dubai to Australia since Israel and the US invaded Iran has departed the United Arab Emirates.

The Emirates flight to Sydney is the first to leave the UAE for Australia since the airspace was closed and travel halted due to the war in the middle east.

Approximately 115 thousand Australians are in the area, and the foreign minister says the government's continuing to monitor the resumption of commercial flights.

There are reports coming out of Iran that Mojtaba Khamenei has been chosen as the new leader of the Islamic Republic.

Iran International, citing information from Iran's remaining leadership, said the former supreme leader's second-eldest son, Mojtaba, has been appointed.

It's been reported the decision has been made hurriedly, under pressure from Iran's Revolutionary Guard.

Unions are pushing to increase annual leave entitlements for full-time workers to a minimum of five weeks, aiming to ease work pressures and compensate for unpaid hours.

The Australian Council of Trade Unions will lobby for the extra week of leave to be added to the National Employment Standards as part of an upcoming federal inquiry.

The ACTU says it's been 50 years since leave entitlements were updated.

The French president says his country doesn't condone the US and Israeli military action against Iran, and that the operation is taking place outside international law.

But, Mr Macron has told a televised address, that Iran bears primary responsibility for the current war.

He's ordered France's nuclear-powered aircraft carrier to move to the Mediterranean to help protect allied assets in the Middle East.

The death toll from US-Israeli strikes in Iran is believed to be nearing 800 since bombing began on Saturday.

The International Atomic Energy Agency says it has no evidence of Iran building a nuclear bomb.

But the agency's director-general says that it's cause for serious concern that Iran had stockpiled near-weapons-grade enriched uranium and refused to grant inspectors access.

He says unless Iran assists the nuclear watchdog in resolving outstanding problems, the agency wouldn't be in a position to provide assurance that the country's nuclear program is peaceful.

The weather bureau's warning a tropical low will bring heavy rainfall and a possible cyclone to Queensland's north tropical coast as it approaches the mainland over coming days.

A deluge saw roads cut and communities isolated in north Queensland around Ingham this week, and floodwater's still draining from the area.

The tropical low's expected to cross the Queensland coast between Cooktown and Townsville tomorrow or Friday, and there's a 30 per cent chance the system could develop to a category one cyclone.

After twenty five years dominating Sydney's airwaves, the legendary partnership of Jackie "O" Henderson and Kyle Sandilands has come to an abrupt and dramatic end.

US President Donald Trump says the US navy will, if necessary, escort tankers through the Strait of Hormuz.

Iran has blocked the narrow strip between the Gulf and the Indian Ocean, through which about a fifth of global oil and gas is transported.

Gas and oil prices have surged and world stock markets are tumbling as concerns grow about how long the conflict with Iran will last.

Shadow foreign minister Ted O'Brien has accused the government of not doing enough to warn Australians about the dangers of travelling to the Middle East before the outbreak of the conflict.

The government began offering voluntary departures to the families of Australian diplomats and officials in the region last Wednesday, before the US and Israel launched strikes on Iran.

Mr O'Brien says it took the government another three days before it issued 'do no travel' advice for a number of the impacted countries.

The government says a flight is scheduled to depart from Dubai to Sydney this morning, but will depend on airspace remaining safe.

New South Wales Premier Chris Minns has expressed sadness at the break-up of veteran Australian broadcasting duo Kyle and Jackie O, on whose show he's been a regular guest.

Jackie Henderson quit as co host of the Kyle and Jackie O show after an on-air argument last month, ending her 100 million dollar contract

The pair have drawn regular controversy across their 25-year partnership and was found to have breached radio codes of practice a dozen times just in the last year.

US President Donald Trump says Iran now has no navy, no air force and no air defences because they've all been knocked out by the US and Israel.

He says the US navy is prepared to start escorting oil and gas tankers through the Strait of Hormuz to counter rising energy prices as a result of the escalating middle east war.

But he also told journalists at the White House he believed Iran was going to attack first, which is at odds with with comments from his secretary of state Marco Rubio, and causing confusion around the reasons for the US going to war.

The Foreign Minister says a flight is scheduled to depart from Dubai to Sydney this morning, but will depend on airspace remaining safe.

The government estimates there are up to 115-thousand Australians in the Middle East - which includes residents and those in transit, with many stranded due to the ongoing conflict.

Penny Wong says the best way to get people out is to resume commercial flights.

Liberals have called billionaire James Packer's donation to conservative group 'Advance' a worrying sign.

Mr Packer hadn't made a political donation for more than a decade until his $150 thousand contribution to Advance in 2024.

Liberal MPs say its more evidence of the conservative lobby group's growing influence.

The US says it's struck nearly two thousand targets in Iran, as the war in the middle east intensifies.

Israel's defence force says it's begun a large-scale wave of new strikes targeting infrastructure in Iran's capital Tehran. Iran's leaderships compound has also been hit in the attacks.

Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu says the US and Israel will continue to strike Iran with force, while Iran has ramped up its retaliatory attacks on Israel as well as Qatar, Dubai and Abu Dhabi.  

Iran's Red Crescent says 787 people have been killed in the country since the war began.

US President Donald Trump has lashed out at Spain, saying he's asked for all trade dealings between the two countries to be cut off over their lack of support in strikes against Iran.

The government of Pedro Sanchez has denied US requests to use Spanish bases as part of Operation Epic Fury, saying change can not happen unilaterally, and that it works in compliance with international law.

Meanwhile, Mr Trump has levelled more criticism at UK PM Sir Kier Starmer, saying the UK was too slow to provide Americans permission to use British airbases to launch attacks into Iran.  

Jackie Henderson has resigned as co-host of the Kyle and Jackie O show, following an on-air argument late last month.

Ms Henderson said she couldn't continue working with Kyle Sandilands, ending her 100 million dollar contract with ARN Media.

Sandilands has also been taken off-air for a two week period, while ARN says the show is being taken off-air immediately.  

Israel's launched fresh strikes on Iran and Lebanon as the war in the Middle East intensifies.

Both Iranian and Israeli news agencies are reporting the IDF has attacked an Iranian industrial area and several airports, while the US says it has now struck 1700 targets in Iran.

Iran's Red Crescent says 787 people have been killed in the country since the war began on Saturday.

Iran has continued to retaliate with attacks on oil and gas infrastructure and US embassies in gulf countries, and continued attacks in Israel.

Meanwhile, Israel has continued strikes in Lebanon, targeting senior Hezbollah figures and financial institutions.

US President Donald Trump says he believes Iran was going to attack first, contradicting comments made by his top diplomat

Secretary of State Marco Rubio told reporters the US had to strike to stop an "imminent threat" because Israel was planning to attack Iran, which would have prompted Iran to attack American interests.

But President Trump says if anything, he feels he forced Israel's hand, saying he felt Iran would attack, although he didn't provide any evidence.

Officials from the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade have been told to cancel all non-essential overseas travel as the government prepares for a potentially massive consular response in the Middle East.

Up to 115 thousand Australians are in the Middle East, with many stranded due to the ongoing closure of airspaces.

DFAT has now activated its 24 hour crisis centre to help coordinate the response to the situation which foreign affairs minister Penny Wong has described as "unprecedented."  

Former Liberal member for Menzies, Keith Wolahan, is urging his party to heed the lessons of an election review which found the party's policies and leadership had alienated women, young people and migrants.

The Prime Minister tabled the review, which the Liberal Party decided not to make public, during question time yesterday.

Mr Wolahan says the Liberal Party needs to appeal to urban Australia, and better speak to, understand and fight for aspirational multicultural families.

Jackie Henderson has resigned as co-host of the Kyle and Jackie O show, following an on-air argument late last month.

Ms Henderson handed in her notice stating that she couldn't continue working with Kyle Sandilands, terminating her 100 million dollar contract with ARN Media.

Sandilands has also been taken off-air for a two week period, and if he doesn't respond to a written notice from ARN in this time, his contract will be terminated.

ARN says the show is being taken off-air immediately.  

The number of Iranians killed in the war has risen to nearly 800 according to a human rights group, as Israel and the US launch fresh assaults on the country.

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