Australia walks ‘very fine line’ with Gulf deployment amid Iran war

Australia’s decision to send a surveillance aircraft and air-to-air missiles to the Gulf highlights the difficult position the country now faces: supporting US and regional partners while trying to avoid being drawn deeper into the widening conflict.Analysts said the government was “walking a very fine line” with the deployment, signalling support for partners under Iranian attacks while stopping short of committing Australia to offensive operations.At the same time, they said Canberra was reluctant to “anger” US President Donald Trump, given the importance of maintaining close defence ties with Washington, including the Aukus submarine partnership.Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said on Tuesday that Canberra would provide support to help Gulf countries defend against escalating Iranian reprisals across the region.“Iran’s reprisal attacks continue to escalate, already at a scale and depth we haven’t seen before,” Albanese said at a news conference, adding that twelve countries across the region, from Cyprus through to the Gulf, were “continuing to be targeted”.He said the Royal Australian Air Force would send an E-7A Wedgetail surveillance aircraft and supporting personnel to “protect and secure airspace above the Gulf” for the next four weeks and assist with the region’s “collective self-defence”.A building hit by a reported drone strike in Dubai’s Creek Harbour on Thursday. Photo: AFP