‘Military assets’ deployed to Middle East, Anthony Albanese says

Australian “military assets” have been deployed in the Middle East, Anthony Albanese says, as part of the nation’s contingency response to the thousands of Australians stranded in the conflict zone.

The Prime Minister made the comment during Question Time on Thursday while providing an update on the second flight departing from the region to Australia.

“I confirm right now another flight, EK414 is in the air with over 200 Australians on board,” he said.

“It departed Dubai at 9.16am today Canberra time, bound for Sydney and we are hopeful of more flights in the air today which is what we want to see,” he said.

“The most recent advice is another two flights are scheduled to depart to Australia today.”

Mr Albanese said he knew there were still “many Australians” who were waiting for an opportunity to get home.

He described the situation in the region as “volatile”, “dangerous” and “fast-moving.”

Mr Albanese then referenced the deployment of six crisis teams to the Middle East, as well as “military assets as part of our contingency planning earlier this week”.

The deployment of military assets in the Middle East has yet to be confirmed by the Foreign Minister, who has repeatedly ducked questions around the involvement of military personnel in the conflict zone.

Neighbouring New Zealand announced on Thursday it would send two defence planes alongside consular staff to assist citizens to get home.

First group of Aussies return home

On Wednesday, more than 200 weary Australians have touched down on home soil on the first flight out of the Middle East since conflict erupted in the region, abruptly closing the airspace.

The first of four confirmed repatriation flights from the UAE landed in Sydney where friends and family were seen waiting anxiously in the arrivals terminal at Kingsford Smith International Airport for their loved ones.

The progress of the Dubai-Sydney Emirates flight was being closely monitored by about 39,000 people on Flightradar24, making it the most watched plane in the world, as reported by travel publication Karryon.

Emotional scenes unfolded at the airport as hundreds of Australians streamed out to reunite with their family and friends.

A Port Stephens mother, Sheree, told 9 News she was eagerly awaiting the arrival of her son, who had been making his way to Rome before he became stranded in Dubai following reports of explosions from Iranian rockets being fired at the city.

“It has been quite nerve-racking, quite stressful and very worrying. It was very scary on the ground for him, they weren’t allowed out of their motels because of falling shrapnel from the intercepted drones and bombs, and he was just quite stressed out,” she said.

While video-calling her son, Sheree said her son was forced to hang up as bombs exploded nearby.

Speaking on Thursday morning, Foreign Minister Penny Wong told Today she was “on the edge of (her) seat” watching footage of the flight touch down, and that she hoped more Australians would be returning home soon.

“Can I just say how wonderful it was to see that footage of people at the airport and to see people coming home and being greeted,” Senator Wong said.

“Yesterday, we knew the plane was scheduled to take off and I think we were all on the edge of our seats hoping it would, because there was always a possibility if there had been a strike or if it wasn’t safe that it would be cancelled,” she said.

Senator Wong confirmed another three repatriation flights were scheduled to depart from the UAE on Thursday morning, with the next one scheduled to leave for Sydney at 2am local time (9am AEDT) and a second due to leave for Melbourne at 10am local time (5am AEDT).

The Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT) is currently advising Australians not to travel into or through Dubai because of the potential for “retaliatory strikes” launched by Iran in the aftermath of US-Israeli attacks on Tehran.

Four staff members at Dubai Airport were injured on Sunday when an explosion tore through a concourse, and the Burj Al Arab received “minor damage” when local authorities intercepted a drone laden with explosives, with no injuries reported.

More to come.