Australia Deploys Military Aircraft to Aid Citizens in Middle East

Australia has deployed two military aircraft to help assist its citizens stranded in the Middle East as the regional conflict linked to the Iran war continues to disrupt travel.

According to reports cited by The Guardian, the Australian government has positioned a Boeing C-17 Globemaster III heavy transport aircraft and a Airbus KC-30A tanker operated by the Royal Australian Air Force as a precautionary measure.

Officials did not disclose the aircrafts’ destinations for security reasons as tensions continue to escalate across the region following US-Israeli strikes on Iran.

The deployment is part of broader contingency planning by Canberra to support tens of thousands of Australian citizens and permanent residents affected by the conflict.

Australia’s Defense Ministry has also launched a consular assistance mission known as Operation Beech to help coordinate evacuation efforts. Authorities are still urging Australians to return home using commercial flights whenever possible.

Government estimates indicate that about 115,000 Australians are currently in the Middle East, including at least 24,000 in the United Arab Emirates, many of them expatriate residents or transit travelers.

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said the military deployment coincides with ongoing evacuation flights carrying stranded Australians from Dubai.

He confirmed that a second repatriation flight departed for Sydney Thursday morning with more than 200 Australians on board, while additional flights from the United Arab Emirates are expected in the coming days.

Albanese said Australian authorities are working closely with partners in the UAE and across the Gulf to secure further flights and return citizens home as quickly as possible.

The first commercial flight carrying Australians out of Dubai since the outbreak of the war between the United States, Israel and Iran arrived in Sydney late Wednesday with more than 200 passengers.

Airspace across much of the region has been heavily disrupted amid the conflict, with missile attacks reported in several countries as Iran retaliates against targets linked to the United States and its allies.