Radio National Breakfast

The International Energy Agency has announced the largest release of oil reserves in its history, in an effort to curb soaring energy prices as the Middle East conflict continues.

Shadow Attorney-General Michaelia Cash says Dennis Richardson's reasons for departing the antisemitism royal commission are a "devastating indictment" on the federal government.

• GUEST: Senator Michaelia Cash, Leader of the Opposition in the Senate and Shadow Attorney General.

International Energy Agency says it will release the largest volume of emergency oil reserves in its history, as Iran forced the effective closure of the the Strait of Hormuz to shipping.

The IEA says it will make 400 million barrels of oil available from its members’ emergency reserves, which is more than double the previous high released back in 2022 in response to Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine.

• GUEST: Madeleine King, Minister for Resources and Minister for Northern Australia 
• PRODUCER: Jason Whittaker

It's been almost two weeks since the US and Israel began their campaign of air-strikes across Iran but there is no end in sight.

And as the conflict continues Israel has intensified its strikes across Beirut and parts of southern Lebanon as it targets the Iran-backed militant group Hezbollah, killing more than 600 people. So what is the endgame?

Guest: Christiane Amanpour, journalist of British-Iranian descent and chief international anchor for CNN

Producer: Eleni Psaltis

Pressure is mounting on the Trump administration after a video appears to show a US Tomahawk missile was used in a deadly strike on a girls' school in Iran. 

The New York Times is reporting an ongoing military investigation has determined that the US is responsible for the strike, citing US officials and others familiar with the preliminary findings.

The investigative outlet Bellingcat was the first to geo-locate the footage.

• GUEST: Eliot Higgins, founder of Bellingcat

Israel has continued its military strikes across parts of Beirut and southern Lebanon overnight, as it targets the Iran-backed terror group Hezbollah.

Lebanon's Health Ministry says more than 600 people have now been killed since the war broke out - more than a week ago - with about fifteen hundred injured.

• Guest: Hussein Ibish, Senior Resident Scholar at the Arab Gulf States Institute
• Producer: Grace Stranger

Australia has been drawn further into the escalating Middle East conflict, with a military surveillance plane and 85 personnel deployed to the United Arab Emirates to help defend the nation from Iranian drone attacks.

The government says it amounts to "defensive" help for the UAE and troops won't take "offensive" action against Iran, but does it mean Australia is now at war?

We ask the Foreign Minister Penny Wong and hear from the Greens. 

Then, is the escalating conflict in the Middle East the first AI war? We hear from an expert tracking how artificial intelligence is being used across the conflict. 

And the Nationals have a new leader after the surprise resignation of David Littleproud - those details on the Wrap.

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

The Sydney Writers' Festival has unveiled its program for 2026.

One of the main events features Australian-Palestinian writer Dr Randa Abdel-Fattah, whose cancellation from the Adelaide Writers' Week earlier this year led to the entire event being cancelled.

• GUEST: Ann Mossop, Artistic Director of the Sydney Writers' Festival

Earlier this year, bushfires tore through parts of Victoria, destroying hundreds of structures — and burning 400,000 hectares of land.

For farmers, BlazeAid was a lifeline — a team of volunteers to help clean up, and restore critical fencing.

Since 2009, the organisation has helped thousands of landowners care for themselves and their livelihoods — pumping money back into affected communities.

GUEST: Kevin Butler, co-founder BlazeAid

They came to represent their country at the Asia Cup; now a number of players will stay behind - seeking asylum from the nation they played for just days earlier.

The federal government has granted temporary humanitarian visas to five members of the Iranian women's football team, with the government expected to announce this morning that additional players have also stayed behind.

They join generations of Iranian-Australians who have fled the brutal theocracy - with Iran regularly among the top three countries of origin for Australia's humanitarian visa program.

• GUEST: Moones Mansoubi, an Iranian-Australian woman working for Settlement Services International and coordinator of the Community Refugee Welcome Centre in Sydney's inner-west. 
• PRODUCER: Eddy Diamond