1 00:00:01,560 --> 00:00:04,480 Speaker 1: Today's biggest news from The Australian. I'm Claire Harvey with 2 00:00:04,519 --> 00:00:09,800 Speaker 1: the Front's afternoon headlines. America's not running out of AMMO, 3 00:00:09,960 --> 00:00:13,960 Speaker 1: but Iran is. That's the forceful message from United States 4 00:00:14,040 --> 00:00:18,000 Speaker 1: Secretary of War Pete Hegsaf, who addressed reporters on Thursday 5 00:00:18,079 --> 00:00:21,319 Speaker 1: in the wake of reports America's arsenal was running low. 6 00:00:22,440 --> 00:00:29,840 Speaker 2: America is winning decisively, devastatingly, and without mercy. They are 7 00:00:29,880 --> 00:00:31,840 Speaker 2: toast and they know it. 8 00:00:32,880 --> 00:00:36,559 Speaker 1: US Central Command says Iran's missile launchers have dropped by 9 00:00:36,600 --> 00:00:40,240 Speaker 1: eighty six percent and its drone launches by seventy three 10 00:00:40,320 --> 00:00:44,800 Speaker 1: percent in four days. Central Command released spectacular footage it 11 00:00:44,920 --> 00:00:48,440 Speaker 1: said was shot from a submarine periscope showing a torpedo 12 00:00:48,560 --> 00:00:51,919 Speaker 1: sinking an Iranian vessel off the Sri Lankan coast, one 13 00:00:51,960 --> 00:00:55,680 Speaker 1: of nearly two dozen Iranian Navy ships. Sent Com says 14 00:00:55,760 --> 00:00:59,640 Speaker 1: it has sunk. There are reports Iran's ballistic missile manufacturing 15 00:00:59,640 --> 00:01:03,560 Speaker 1: physilicies have been damaged by US and Israeli strikes, and 16 00:01:03,720 --> 00:01:08,520 Speaker 1: that Iran's existing missile stocks are declining. Hexceth didn't seem 17 00:01:08,560 --> 00:01:12,320 Speaker 1: concerned by critics who say America doesn't have justification in 18 00:01:12,600 --> 00:01:17,160 Speaker 1: US or international law for the strikes. Under America's constitution, 19 00:01:17,360 --> 00:01:20,840 Speaker 1: the president commands the armed forces, but only Congress can 20 00:01:20,920 --> 00:01:25,080 Speaker 1: declare war. Donald Trump hasn't attempted to have Congress declare 21 00:01:25,080 --> 00:01:29,160 Speaker 1: a war, although his Republicans dominate both chambers at present. 22 00:01:29,760 --> 00:01:33,120 Speaker 1: In international law, the United Nations Charter says states have 23 00:01:33,200 --> 00:01:36,759 Speaker 1: a right to self defense in response to an armed attack. 24 00:01:37,240 --> 00:01:40,680 Speaker 1: America has a veto power in the UN Security Council, 25 00:01:41,000 --> 00:01:44,120 Speaker 1: so doesn't need to worry about a resolution declaring its 26 00:01:44,120 --> 00:01:48,360 Speaker 1: war illegal, and both the US and Israel have repeatedly 27 00:01:48,400 --> 00:01:52,280 Speaker 1: said Iran's prior attacks on Israel and on America over 28 00:01:52,360 --> 00:01:56,720 Speaker 1: recent years constitute an armed attack, and that its plans 29 00:01:56,720 --> 00:01:59,840 Speaker 1: for a nuclear weapon and further strikes on Israel amount 30 00:02:00,080 --> 00:02:03,560 Speaker 1: to an imminent threat. Some international law experts say that 31 00:02:03,600 --> 00:02:06,720 Speaker 1: would also make Operation Epic Fury legal. 32 00:02:07,680 --> 00:02:11,480 Speaker 2: This was never meant to be a fair fight, and 33 00:02:11,639 --> 00:02:14,799 Speaker 2: it is not a fair fight. We are punching them 34 00:02:15,120 --> 00:02:18,560 Speaker 2: while they're down, which is exactly how it should be. 35 00:02:19,560 --> 00:02:24,080 Speaker 2: Iran negotiated in bad faith, stalling, scheming and preparing to strike, 36 00:02:25,080 --> 00:02:28,640 Speaker 2: and we acted decisively to defend our people, our interests, 37 00:02:28,760 --> 00:02:34,680 Speaker 2: and our allies. President Trump took bold action, putting America first, 38 00:02:35,160 --> 00:02:38,160 Speaker 2: the kind of bold action that the American people elected 39 00:02:38,240 --> 00:02:44,520 Speaker 2: him to execute. To our steadfast partner, Israel, your mission 40 00:02:44,919 --> 00:02:49,560 Speaker 2: is being executed with unmatched skill and iron determination. Fighting 41 00:02:49,600 --> 00:02:53,200 Speaker 2: shoulder to shoulder with such a capable ally is a 42 00:02:53,200 --> 00:02:57,200 Speaker 2: true force multiplier and a breath of fresh air. 43 00:02:58,360 --> 00:03:01,079 Speaker 1: That's a swipe at Britain and the other European countries 44 00:03:01,160 --> 00:03:03,960 Speaker 1: whom the US has accused of failing to spend enough 45 00:03:04,000 --> 00:03:08,799 Speaker 1: on defense. Trump has forcefully attacked British Prime Minister Kirstarma 46 00:03:08,880 --> 00:03:12,400 Speaker 1: for failing to allow US forces to use British bases. 47 00:03:13,919 --> 00:03:16,959 Speaker 1: Another three planeloads of Australians stranded in the Middle East 48 00:03:17,000 --> 00:03:19,840 Speaker 1: are expected to land in Australia in the coming hours. 49 00:03:20,160 --> 00:03:23,200 Speaker 1: That's after two hundred people touched down in Sydney on 50 00:03:23,280 --> 00:03:24,040 Speaker 1: Thursday morning. 51 00:03:24,840 --> 00:03:28,160 Speaker 3: I'm sure that Australians who were able to touch down 52 00:03:28,240 --> 00:03:32,400 Speaker 3: on their home soil felt very relieved to be home. 53 00:03:32,919 --> 00:03:36,040 Speaker 3: Now I confirm that right now another flight EK four 54 00:03:36,080 --> 00:03:38,200 Speaker 3: one four is in the air with over two hundred 55 00:03:38,240 --> 00:03:42,720 Speaker 3: Australians on board, and we are hopeful of more flights 56 00:03:43,240 --> 00:03:45,680 Speaker 3: being in the air today, which is what we want. 57 00:03:45,720 --> 00:03:46,320 Speaker 3: To see. 58 00:03:46,600 --> 00:03:50,400 Speaker 1: Anthony Albanezi also confirmed the deployment of Australian military assets 59 00:03:50,400 --> 00:03:52,280 Speaker 1: to the region during question time. 60 00:03:52,920 --> 00:03:57,040 Speaker 3: The government is deploying six crisis response teams to the 61 00:03:57,080 --> 00:04:01,080 Speaker 3: region and we've already deployed military assets as part of 62 00:04:01,080 --> 00:04:05,920 Speaker 3: our contingency planning earlier this week. I think those Australians 63 00:04:05,920 --> 00:04:09,560 Speaker 3: who are going into a dangerous situation in order to 64 00:04:09,640 --> 00:04:14,160 Speaker 3: help their fellow Australians caught up in this conflict. 65 00:04:17,640 --> 00:04:20,520 Speaker 1: Check out those stories live right now at the Australian 66 00:04:20,640 --> 00:04:22,960 Speaker 1: dot com dot au and come back to the front 67 00:04:23,000 --> 00:04:25,360 Speaker 1: first thing in the morning for analysis of the Iranian 68 00:04:25,400 --> 00:04:29,320 Speaker 1: conflict by The Australian's inimitable Foreign editor, Greg Sheridan.