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Macron lauds Europe's 'predictability' in seeming contrast to Trump
French President Emmanuel Macron has praised Europe’s “predictability” during a visit to Japan on Wednesday, contrasting it with countries that “could hurt you without even informing you” in an apparent swipe at Donald Trump, reports AFP.
“I’m well aware that sometimes Europe can be seen as a continent that is slower than others,” Macron told an audience of Japanese business leaders and investors in Tokyo.
“But predictability has value, and we have demonstrated that over all these past years and, dare I say, even these past weeks: we are where you know we will go,” he added.
“That’s not bad, in times like these, believe me.”
Macron criticised countries that said they were “going much faster” than their allies, but “you don’t know whether the day after tomorrow they will still be in that position, and whether tomorrow they won’t make a decision that could hurt you without even informing you”.
The remark was a reference to the month-long US-Israeli war on Iran, which has responded by virtually closing the vital Strait of Hormuz, through which a large share of the oil imported by Japan normally transits.
The US president lashed out at France on Tuesday, writing on social media that Paris had been “very unhelpful” during the war with Iran, which has since spread across the Middle East.
Before meeting Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi later Wednesday, Macron spoke of the “dramatic impacts on energy” as a result of the war.
“Europe stands by your side,” he said. “We are also on the side of international law, on the side of negotiation and the return of diplomacy.”
Israel military says it is working to intercept Iran missile attack as warning sirens activated
The Israeli military said its air defences responded to a missile attack from Iran on Wednesday, with warning sirens activated across central Israel.
“A short while ago, the IDF (army) identified missiles launched from Iran toward the territory of the State of Israel. Defensive systems are operating to intercept the threat,” a military statement said.
One person has been killed by falling drone debris in United Arab Emirates
One person has been killed after debris from an intercepted drone fell on a farm in Fujairah in the United Arab Emirates, state media said.
The individual killed was a Bangladeshi national.
Tanker struck off Qatar was hit by two projectiles, UK authorities say
A tanker struck off Qatar was hit by two projectiles, one causing a fire that has since been extinguished and another remaining unexploded in the vessel’s engine room, the UK Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) said on Wednesday.
The vessel was struck about 17 nautical miles (31 km) north of Qatar’s Ras Laffan industrial hub, causing damage above the waterline, with the crew safe and no environmental impact, reported AFP.
Israel’s military said early on Wednesday it had carried out a “wide-scale wave of strikes” on Tehran.
Separately, it said an Israeli military drone had been downed by a surface-to-air missile during operational activity in southern Lebanon overnight on Tuesday.
Australian PM to address nation as support measures announced to cushion soaring fuel prices
Patrick Commins
Australia’s Treasurer Jim Chalmers has unveiled a suite of Covid-era support measures for businesses struggling with soaring fuel prices, while Australian prime minister Anthony Albanese is set to address the nation in the latest sign the government is preparing for a more severe economic downturn from the war.
“The war in the Middle East is having an extreme impact on the global economy. Australians and Australian small businesses are paying the price for that,” the treasurer told reporters on Wednesday.
The support package will include more generous Australian Taxation Office payment plans, doing away with penalties and interest on unpaid tax debts, and offering support to defer PAYG payments where the business has suffered a hit to their revenue “due to fuel supply issues”.
The ATO will also hold off on chasing unpaid tax debts.
Anthony Albanese will deliver an address to the nation on Wednesday night at 7pm AEDT, where he’s expected to encourage Australians to play their part in the fuel crisis, including helping to save fuel for areas that need it.
Opening summary
Hello and welcome to our continuing coverage of the US-Israel war on Iran and the wider repercussions throughout the Middle East and globally.
Donald Trump said on Tuesday that US forces would end operations in Iran “very soon,” suggesting a timeline of two to three weeks. The US president also told reporters that the responsibility for keeping the strait of Hormuz open will rest with countries that rely on it. “That’s not for us … That’ll be for whoever’s using the strait,” he said.
Later, US secretary of state Marco Rubio told Fox News the US would need to reevaluate the Nato relationship after the conflict in Iran concludes, saying: “I do think, unfortunately, we are going to have to re-examine whether or not this alliance that has served this country well for a while is still serving that purpose.
“If now we have reached a point where the Nato alliance means that we can’t use [US military bases in Europe]... then Nato is a one-way street.”
Here is a summary of the latest developments:
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Two-thirds of Americans believe that the US should work to end its involvement in the Iran war quickly, even if that means not achieving the goals set out by the Trump administration, a Reuters/Ipsos poll has found.
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Asian markets rose sharply early on Wednesday after US stocks soared to their best day in almost a year on renewed hopes that the Iran war could soon end. South Korea’s Kospi surged 6.4% in early trading, while Tokyo’s Nikkei 225 rose 4%. Hong Kong’s Hang Seng was up 1.9%, while the Shanghai Composite index was trading 1.4% higher.
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Thousands of additional US troops are heading to the Middle East. The aircraft carrier USS George HW Bush deployed on Tuesday and is slated to travel to the region along with three destroyers, two US officials said. The carrier strike group consists of more than 6,000 personnel.
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The Israeli military said on Wednesday it had identified the launch of a missile from Yemen towards Israel. It said defence systems were operating to intercept the missile.
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Iran’s state broadcaster IRIB said areas in northern, eastern and central Tehran were under attack on Wednesday morning. The broadcaster said on Telegram that explosions were heard in the capital’s north, east and centre, reporting “attacks on Tehran” without immediately providing more details.
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A drone attack has sparked a large fire at Kuwait international airport, according to its state news agency, which said no casualties had been reported, while in the last few hours Saudi Arabia has said it intercepted and destroyed two drones. Bahrain also said early on Wednesday that it was working to extinguish a fire at a business facility that resulted from an Iranian attack. A tanker also came under attack off the coast of Qatar early on Wednesday, according to the British military’s United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations centre.
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Israeli strikes in southern Beirut and a nearby area have killed seven people, according to Lebanon’s health ministry.
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An American journalist has been kidnapped in Baghdad by a suspected Iranian-backed Iraqi armed group, the US said. The journalist was identified as Shelly Kittleson, a freelancer, by media advocacy groups as well as Al-Monitor, one of the news outlets for which she worked.
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The Wall Street Journal is reporting that the United Arab Emirates is preparing to help the US open the strait of Hormuz by force. Citing Arab officials, the newspaper reported the UAE is lobbying for a UN security council resolution that would authorise such action.
