Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese confirmed Friday that three defense personnel from his country were present on a U.S. submarine when it launched a torpedo attack against an Iranian warship in the Indian Ocean, though he emphasized the Australians played no role in the strike itself.
The attack took place off Sri Lanka’s southern coastline earlier this week, representing the first instance since World War Two that the United States has destroyed an enemy vessel using torpedo weaponry. Recovery efforts by Sri Lankan officials have retrieved the remains of 87 Iranian naval personnel.
Speaking to Sky News, Albanese explained the Australian personnel were participating in training exercises connected to the AUKUS defense agreement between Australia, the United States, and Britain. This partnership aims to assist Australia in obtaining and constructing nuclear-powered submarine capabilities.
The Prime Minister made clear that no Australian military members took part in any hostile operations against Iran. “These are long-standing third country arrangements that have been in place for a long period of time,” Albanese stated.
While Australia maintains its position as a strong U.S. ally, the nation has declined to take on any combat responsibilities in the current conflict. However, Australian leadership has expressed support for initiatives designed to prevent Iran from acquiring nuclear weapons capability.
The Middle Eastern conflict intensified Thursday as American and Israeli aircraft conducted strikes across multiple Iranian locations, while Gulf region cities faced additional bombardment.
