AUSTRALIA CONSIDERING MILITARY AID TO MIDDLE EAST BUT WILL NOT DEPLOY TROOPS

ISTANBUL, March 8 (Bernama-Anadolu) -- Australia said Sunday it is considering offering military aid to Middle Eastern countries hit by Iran's counterstrikes, but will not deploy troops to contribute to a war effort, Anadolu Ajansı (AA) reported, quoting media reports.

Canberra's top diplomat, Penny Wong, confirmed that Australia is weighing providing help to "many non-participant" countries affected by Iranian retaliatory strikes, the Australian Broadcasting Corporation reported.

Regional tensions have escalated since the US and Israel launched a large-scale attack against Iran on Feb. 28, killing more than 1,000 victims, including Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, over 150 schoolgirls and senior military officials.

Iran has retaliated with sweeping barrages that have targeted US bases, diplomatic facilities and military personnel across the region, as well as multiple Israeli cities. 

The attacks have continued to escalate.

"We are not participating in offensive actions against Iran, and we have made clear we would not participate in any ground troop deployment into Iran," she said.

"This is not Iraq, and we are not the Howard government. We are not asking Australians to accept men and women being deployed into a ground war."

Wong said Canberra's military aid could help provide protection against Iranian drone and missile attacks.

"We have been asked, and we will consider it in accordance with (foreign policy) principles," she said. "If a decision is made, I'm sure that we will be transparent with the Australian people." 

In a related development, a flight from Dubai to Melbourne with 151 Australians on board is due to arrive on Sunday, while another flight will land in Sydney later in the evening.

More than 1500 Australians have arrived home by air from the United Arab Emirates since international flight operations resumed.

Some 115,000 Australians were in the Middle East when the US and Israel attacked Iran.

-- BERNAMA-ANADOLU