Ellen Ransley

5 days ago | thenightly.com.au | Ellen Ransley

Anthony Albanese has backed the United States’ “successful” strikes on Iranian nuclear facilities but reiterated calls for de-escalation, as Tehran vowed to respond and Donald Trump left the door open to enforcing regime change. More than 24 hours after American bombs struck three nuclear sites in Iran, the Prime Minister labelled the USA’s actions as “unilateral” but critical to ensuring Iran could not build nuclear weapons.

1 week ago | thenightly.com.au | Ellen Ransley

Australia has deployed military planes and personnel to the conflict-torn Middle East to rescue stranded citizens, after Donald Trump announced he would make a decision on US involvement “within two weeks”. The US President’s slight reprieve has European foreign ministers hopeful they will be able to find a diplomatic exit ramp to the conflict when they meet with their Iranian counterpart in Geneva on Friday.

1 week ago | thenightly.com.au | Ellen Ransley

There would have been more to NATO than just a meeting with Donald Trump. After a couple of days of consideration, and probably an acknowledgement that the uncertainty around the Israel-Iran crisis makes it possible the US President won’t ultimately attend, Anthony Albanese has decided to stick to Plan A and send his deputy Richard Marles in his place. The latest round of volatility in an already unstable world should have been reason enough for the Prime Minister to attend.

1 week ago | thenightly.com.au | Ellen Ransley

An Israeli hospital has been damaged and an Iranian heavy water reactor hit as the escalating Middle East crisis enters the seventh day and Donald Trump considers whether to get the United States’ involved. On Thursday morning, local time, Iran launched dozens of ballistic missiles at several civilian population centres, including in Tel Aviv and in the southern city of Be’er-Sheva, injuring dozens of people.

1 week ago | thenightly.com.au | Ellen Ransley

Another group of Australians are set to be evacuated from Israel in the coming hours, as the Government acknowledges it will be “complicated” and “risky” to get people out of Iran. Since the Israel-Iran crisis began on Friday, 1500 Australians have registered for assistance to leave Iran and 1200 in Israel. Penny Wong said a “small group” of people had been helped out of Israel and into Jordan via bus during a “small window” of opportunity on Wednesday. Sign up to The Nightly's newsletters.