Australia is deploying an E-7A Wedgetail surveillance aircraft to the Gulf and supplying medium-range air-to-air missiles to the United Arab Emirates after a formal request, and Prime Minister Anthony Albanese calls the measures defensive and stresses no Australian ground troops will be committed.Legal experts including Professor Don Rothwell say notifications to the United Nations under Article 51 and the provision of intelligence and weapons mean Australia is participating in hostilities and that Australian personnel could be regarded as combatants and legitimate targets.Critics accuse Canberra of bowing to pressure from the
USA after a phone call with
Donald Trump, while the government defends the action, issues humanitarian visas to five Iranian women footballers and faces domestic debate over the risks and legal basis of the deployment.