Australia and New Zealand deploy military planes as nations prepare Middle East evacuations

Australia has deployed two military planes to the Middle East as part of emergency contingency planning, AFP reported on Thursday, citing two government representatives.

The deployment includes a heavy-duty transport plane and a refuelling aircraft. These assets are part of a broader strategy to rescue Australian citizens from the region. Prime Minister Anthony Albanese informed Parliament on Thursday that "military assets" are now stationed in the Middle East. While he declined to provide specific locations, he described the regional situation as "volatile, dangerous, and fast-moving."

"I thank those Australians going into a dangerous situation to help their fellow citizens," Albanese said.

The Prime Minister confirmed that flight EK414 is currently en route from Dubai to Sydney with over 200 Australians on board. "It departed Dubai at 9:16 am Canberra time. We are hopeful more flights will be in the air today," he added.

During Thursday’s Question Time, Albanese noted that six Australian crisis units are now operating in the Gulf region. These units are working alongside military assets staged earlier this week. Although the government has mobilised military support, officials stressed that commercial aviation remains the most effective way for the estimated 115,000 Australians in the region to return home.

The evacuation efforts come as several nations scramble to repatriate their citizens. Regional tensions spiked following attacks on Iran that resulted in the death of Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.

New Zealand has around 3,000 citizens registered as living in the Middle East, as the regional security situation continues to evolve, Reuters reported. Foreign Minister Winston Peters described developments as “fast-moving, dangerous and complex”, saying the government’s priority is assisting New Zealanders in the region.

Peters said two aircraft and consular staff have been placed on standby, ready if conditions allow civilian evacuation operations. However, with much of the region’s airspace closed and most commercial flights suspended, evacuation options remain limited. The government has advised New Zealanders to shelter in place or take any safe and practical opportunities to leave.

The Islamic Republic also said it was intercepting the enemy missiles.

Meanwhile, the Israeli military said it began fresh strikes against the Iranian-backed Hezbollah militant group in Lebanon. At least eight people were killed there late Wednesday into Thursday, according to Lebanon’s Health Ministry and the state news agency.

Tehran has warned of the destruction of the Middle East’s military and economic infrastructure, and the war has rattled financial markets, with most taking their cues from what the price of oil is doing. Early Thursday, oil prices resumed their ascent.