Radio National Breakfast

Israel has struck the Lebanese capital, Beirut, and southern parts of the country at the weekend, as the war in the Middle East continues to escalate.

It comes as the Israeli Prime Minister - Benjamin Netanyahu - has promised “many surprises” for the next phase of the conflict.

Lebanese authorities says almost 400 people have been killed so far in the conflict between Israel and the Iran-backed Hezbollah militant group over the past week.

• Guest: Dr Firass Abiad, former Lebanese health minister now a surgeon at the American University in Beirut
• Producers: Grace Stranger, Eleni Psaltis

The Middle East conflict has exposed a rift between US President Donald Trump and the British Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer. 

The UK is yet to send aircraft carriers to the region, prompting Mr Trump to warn that the "special relationship" between the two countries was no longer what it was.

Mr Trump also says he doesn't need the ships - but, "we will remember," and that, "we don't need people that join Wars after we've already won!"

As NATO allies consider their role in the rapidly escalating conflict, it raises deeper questions about unity among western allies. 

• GUEST: General Sir Richard Shirreff, retired British Army officer who served as the Deputy Supreme Allied Commander of NATO forces
• PRODUCER(S): Brooke Young, Joe Sullivan

As the Middle East conflict intensifies, Israel has issued a mass evacuation warning for the southern suburbs of Beirut, with thousands of residents fleeing the region.

We get the latest from Beirut, and hear from the new Israeli Ambassador to Australia. 

Then, Tracey Holmes explains the pressure on the Iranian womens football team from the regime as they compete in a tournament in Australia. 

We also cross to Milan ahead of the Paralympic games beginning this weekend and feature a live musical performance at the end. 

Recap the morning's news, politics and global affairs with the Breakfast Wrap.

It's been a distressing week of news with war in the Middle East - particularly for Iranian-Australians who are far away from family with limited communication.

But this weekend, parts of the community will come together in Sydney - to support each other through song.

The Iranian Music Festival returns for a third year - an artist-run event that takes on new resonance due to the conflict back home.

• GUEST: Musician Hamed Sadeghi and Iranian Music Festival Artistic Director, Dr Shervin MirzeinaliPRODUCER: Eddy Diamond 

There are concerns for the safety of Iran's women's football team, which has been condemned on Iranian state TV.

Footage has emerged from the state-controlled Islamic Republic of Iran Broadcasting showing radical conservative presenter Mohammad Reza Shahbazi calling out the players in response to their silence during the national anthem.

• Guest: Tracey Holmes, host of The Sports Ambassador podcast

Federal parliament returned with a visit from the Canadian Prime Minister and more tensions exposed in the Liberal Party.

But it was conflict overseas that dominated discussion, as both the government and the opposition offered strong support for the joint US-Israeli strikes on Iran.

• Guests: Charles Croucher, Chief Political Editor at Nine News / Sarah Ison, Senior Political Reporter with The Australian amd Stephanie Borys, Radio National Breakfast Political Correspondent.
• Producer: Jason Whittaker

For decades, the voices around the diplomatic table were often entirely men.

But that is changing, as Europe witnesses a rise in female leadership at a crucial time in history.

Across the European Union, three of the top institutional roles are held by women, including Ursula Von Der Leyen, as is the leadership of countries like Italy, Ireland and Bulgaria.

But what more needs to be done, especially at a time when foreign diplomacy has arguably never been more important?

• Guest: Beate Grzeski, Ambassador of the Federal Republic of Germany to Australia and Samija Šerifa, Ambassador of the Republic of Latvia to Australia
• Producers: Grace Stranger, Brooke Young

Six crisis consular teams have been deployed to the Middle East to help Australians trying to return home amid the widening regional conflict.

The Treasurer has warned the economic consequences of the war are "uncertain" but they are "likely to be very substantial".

• GUEST: Jim Chalmers, Treasurer
• PRODUCER: Isadora Bogle

As the middle east conflict intensifies, Israel has issued a mass evacuation warning for the southern suburbs of Beirut, with thousands of residents fleeing the region.

So what is Israel's endgame in this latest conflict?

• GUEST: Hillel Newman, Israeli Ambassador to Australia

It's a conflict which began last weekend with US-Israeli military strikes on Tehran killing the Iranian supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.

The conflict continues to intensify with Iran launching more strikes across the Gulf States, as Australia sends planes to the region to repatriate Australians.  

• GUEST: Tony Burke, Minister for Home Affairs 
• PRODUCER: Isadora Bogle