Australia deploys military aircraft to Mideast in contingency planning

Australia had deployed two military aircraft to the Middle East as part of contingency planning, two officials told the reporters on Thursday. Prime Minister Anthony Albanese told parliament on Thursday that "military assets" had been deployed to the Middle East, but giving no further details.

Officials also told that Australia had deployed a heavy transport aircraft and a fuel transport aircraft to the Middle East as part of plans to get its citizens out. Australia had said it has 115,000 citizens in the region and the first commercial flight, to evacuate its citizens, flew into Sydney from Dubai on Wednesday.