US–Iran war live updates: Two stay behind while remaining members of Iranian soccer team depart Australia

That concludes our live coverarage for today.

Thanks for joining us as we brought you rolling coverage of the escalating war in the Middle East.

Check back in tomorrow for more updates.

US Secretary of Defence Pete Hegseth has declared “today will be, yet again, our most intense day of strikes inside Iran.”

“The most fighters, the most bombers, the most strikes. Intelligence more refined and better than ever. So that’s on one hand,” he said at a Pentagon press briefing.

“On the other hand, the last 24 hours have seen Iran fire the lowest number of missiles they’ve been capable of firing yet,” he told reporters.

Hegseth also used the press conference to repeat Donald Trump’s warning to Iran over the Strait of Hormuz.

“If Iran does anything to stop the flow of oil within the Strait of Hormuz, they will be hit by the United States of America 20 times harder than they have been hit thus far,” Hegseth said.

Two more people connected to the Iranian women’s football team are being assisted by the Australian government, according to reports.

Home Affairs has not confirmed the current situation, but social media is littered with rumours about two more people being assisted by officials.

Footage taken outside Sydney Airport on Tuesday night shows an Australian Federal Police officer addressing a group of supporters who were asking about additional team members seeking refuge in Australia.

“There’s two, that’s it, planes about to depart,” he said, as supporters clapped and cheered.

The ABC reports Home Affairs Minister Tony Burke confirmed that more members of the squad had sought asylum in Australia, with more information being provided in Wednesday.

An unknown number of players and staff boarded a delayed Malaysian Airlines flight on Tuesday night, bound for Kuala Lumpur.

The Sydney Morning Herald reports at least one person from the group refused to board the flight before chaperones urged them to board.

Another person from the team was reportedly led towards the gate by her hand. It is reported that some players were crying as they boarded the plane.

A fire has broken out at a facility within the Abu Dhabi Ruwais Industrial Complex following an Iranian drone attack, local media reports.

It follows Iran launching attacks on Israel, Qatar and the UAE in a fresh missile blitz.

The United Arab Emirates forces are “currently responding to incoming missile and drone threats from Iran”, according to their Ministry of Defence.

Qatar has reportedly intercepted an incoming missile from Iran, their defence ministry revealed.

The public was warned on Tuesday afternoon over concerns of an Iranian attack.

The United Arab Emirates had activated its air defences to prepare for oncoming fire.

Australia was among the first countries in the world to express support for the US-led war against Iran, but now that it’s been asked to help Gulf nations defend themselves, it’s finding the cupboard is looking bare for items to send.

Roughly a week after a direct request from the leader of the United Arab Emirates, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has confirmed reporting in The Nightly that a world leading Royal Australian Air Force surveillance plane will be sent to the region for “offensive” support.

As retired Army General Fergus McLachlan has noted, the E-7A Wedgetail Airborne Early Warning and Control (AEW&C) system is a “world class capability”, and “the most suitable contribution that we could make”.

Defence Minister Richard Marles on Tuesday also confirmed that Australia had agreed to a request from the UAE to supply advanced medium range Air-to-Air missiles, known as AMRAAMs.

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The Iranian women’s team have touched down in Sydney as the world waits on the fate of the remaining players.

They were taken directly from airplane to a bus transfer on the tarmac at Sydney airport.

Protestors who had gathered at the terminal were forced to watch on in anger as the players were whisked away.

Fuel prices in Perth will hit a three-year high on Wednesday, with an average cost for unleaded of $2.22.6 per litre and one outlet set charge almost $2.50.

The almost 30c per litre jump overnight will take Perth motorists back to the prices of September 20, 2023, when motorists were paying $2.23.5 at the bowser.

Drivers have been urged to fill up Tuesday evening or seek out the stations selling the cheapest fuel, with prices to range from $1.87.3 up to $2.49.50.

Read full story here.

A-League side Brisbane Roar have extended an olive branch to the five Iranian players who were granted protection in Australia.

In a statement posted to social media, the Queensland club noted the bravery of the players amid their national anthem protest, offering the girls a football home with “no conditions”.

“To Fatemeh, Zahra, Zahra, Atefeh, Mona, and any of your teammates building a new life here in Australia: Brisbane is home to one of the country’s most passionate football communities, and the Roar family has a big heart,” the team said.

“We’d be honoured to open our doors and offer you a place to train, play, and belong and will begin to explore how to make this happen.”

Australians serving on a US submarine which sunk an Iranian warship last week were ordered to their sleeping quarters while the operation to fire torpedoes at the enemy target was underway.

New details have been uncovered surrounding the events which occurred in international waters of the Indian Ocean on Wednesday evening Canberra time, reportedly on board the Los Angeles-class attack submarine USS Charlotte.

A military source familiar with the tightly held details of last week’s dramatic lethal attack has confirmed to The West Australian that Australian personnel were kept away from the US “offensive action” against Iran, by being ordered to head to their rooms.

Read the story here.