Trump threatens to 'obliterate' Iranian power plants over Strait of Hormuz closure

Trump threatens to 'obliterate' Iranian power plants over Strait of Hormuz closure

9News

Donald Trump has threatened to "obliterate" Iranian power plants if the country does not lift its blockade of the Strait of Hormuz.

The US president gave Iran a 48-hour deadline to reopen the critical waterway in a chilling ultimatum shared on Truth Social at 10.44am AEDT.

"If Iran doesn't FULLY OPEN, WITHOUT THREAT, the Strait of Hormuz, within 48 HOURS from this exact point in time, the United States of America will hit and obliterate their various POWER PLANTS, STARTING WITH THE BIGGEST ONE FIRST," Trump wrote.

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"Thank you for your attention to this matter. President DONALD J. TRUMP."

Trump has previously called on key NATO allies to pressure Iran to reopen the Strait of Hormuz.

"They didn't want to join the fight to stop a Nuclear Powered Iran. Now that fight is Militarily WON, with very little danger for them, they complain about the high oil prices they are forced to pay, but don't want to help open the Strait of Hormuz, a simple military maneuver that is the single reason for the high oil prices," Trump said in an earlier post on Truth Social.

The Strait of Hormuz is the only waterway in or out of the Persian Gulf and is a vital passageway for crude oil tankers.

Its closure has put enormous pressure on global oil supply, sending liquid fuel prices soaring across the world.

Trump's latest threat against Iran follows the president's extraordinary criticism over Australia's lack of involvement in the conflict thus far.

The president on Friday told journalists that Australia should get involved and that he was "a little bit surprised that they said no because we always say yes to them".

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said Trump had not officially asked Australia for support.

"We have done what we have asked been asked to do," Albanese said at a press conference in Melbourne.

The truth is that we have said yes to the request [from] the UAE for the E-7 Wedgetail aircraft that is operating there with personnel operating as well. In addition to that, we've sent AMRAAM [interceptor missiles].

"That's making a difference as well, to intercept missiles or drones aimed at the UAE. So we continue to provide the support that we have been asked to provide."

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Petrol theft ramps up as unleaded nears $3 per litre

Petrol theft ramps up as unleaded nears $3 per litre

9News

Fuel theft is on the rise in Australia as motorists reach breaking point over the spiralling costs at the bowser.

Incidents of theft have been reported on the streets of regional Victoria and in Queensland, including brazen thieves who siphoned fuel from trucks as drivers slept at rest stops.

The cost of unleaded petrol has now nudged $3 per litre, crippling motorists and businesses, as the global oil crisis triggered by the war in the Middle East shows no sign of easing.

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Victoria Police are investigating afters several streets in Kyneton, in central Victoria, were targeted by fuel thieves yesterday and on Friday.

It is believed unknown offenders tampered with fuel cap covers of cars parked along Wedge and Powlett streets between 5pm on Friday and 8am yesterday, police said.

An investigation into the incidents is now under way.

Meanwhile, truck drivers in rural Queensland have been urged to lock their fuel tanks after drivers reported having fuel stolen overnight as they slept.

"With the rising cost of fuel across Australia, unfortunately we all know what tends to follow… opportunistic theft," a spokesperson for Ambrose Haulage Pty Ltd said on Facebook

"One of our drivers had a very close call overnight at Moonie with someone attempting to access the truck.

"Please keep an extra eye out when you're parked up especially overnight."

The surging price of fuel and regional shortage has prompted calls for stricter fuel rationing across the country.

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One Nation's Barnaby Joyce said now was the time to ramp up conservation efforts as our existing stock is depleted.

"We should be going towards rationing," Joyce said.

"The problem is taking its second iteration, because you've got to remember, the oil we were using at the start of the crisis had already been extracted from the Middle East.

"So we weren't having to contend with the closure of the Strait of Hormoz. It's actually going to become more difficult."

Current petrol supplies are expected to run dry at the end of April.

The International Energy Agency has urged Australians to work form home or catch public transport to preserve fuel.

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'They don't like any of us': Biggest lesson from One Nation's record surge

'They don't like any of us': Biggest lesson from One Nation's record surge

9News

The Coalition's failure to unite in policy left a "vaccum" for Pauline Hanson's One Nation to lure voters during the South Australian election – but the insurgent party could shake up federal politics too.

One Nation's strong performance in the election was accompanied by a significant dip in support for both the victorious Labor party and the Liberals, and politicians in Canberra should be taking note, former Nationals leader David Littleproud said.

Littleproud said the biggest takeaway from Hanson's seismic upswing in popularity is that voters are disaffected with every side of politics.

READ MORE: Labor landslide in South Australia amid seismic One Nation shockwave

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"I think the lesson for that, not just in South Australia but federally, is that people are angry and if you look at where the polls are federally, they don't like any of us," he told Today.

"The reality is, no-one is sitting there with 40 or 50 per cent of the primary vote in any of the polling.

"Everyone is scratching around 20 to 30 per cent. That's because people are angry, they are hurting, they're looking for hope, they're looking for direction."

Both major parties bled votes to One Nation across the state.

While SA Premier Peter Malinauskas secured a second term with a landslide win for Labor, the party's primary vote still dipped slightly to around 38 per cent.

One Nation burst onto the scene with an historic 21 per cent of the vote, ahead of the Liberals on just 19 per cent.

The state numbers threaten to spill across borders as One Nation circles ahead of the looming Victoria election and Farrer byelection.

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Littleproud said Hanson's promising showing in SA should spook the Coalition into action.

"The biggest mistake the Coalition made after the election was basically to abolish all policies, and that left a vacuum for Pauline Hanson to walk in," he said.

"It also poses a significant opportunity. We've got a prime minister who is unpopular, not like Peter Malinauskas, there's an opportunity there, but we've got to put out our policies.

"You've got to fight for what you believe in and people reward that."

Hanson yesterday said a "clear message is being sent" as early poll numbers indicated her conservative party was securing a record primary vote.

"I want to take this opportunity to give a big thnak you to the people of South Australia for giving their trust and confidence to One Nation," Hanson told 9News.

"This will send a clear message. I'm not going to stop at South Australia, I'm going to go to after the seat of Farrer... and then Victoria."

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Aussies urged to work from home as petrol prices reach eye-watering new highs

Aussies urged to work from home as petrol prices reach eye-watering new highs

9News

With fuel prices rocketing and supplies tightening, the world's energy watchdog is now urging Australians to work from home, as conflict in the Middle East threatens global oil supply.

The International Energy Agency has issued a warning as diesel hits a record three dollars a litre.

In its list of 10 recommendations, the watchdog has also urged Australians to slow down on the roads, avoid air travel and carpool to work or take public transport.

READ MORE: Peter Malinauskas is the favourite going into South Australia's state election but the win might not be that simple

This morning, the cheapest petrol in Australia was in Perth, at $2.19 a litre, and Melbourne was the most expensive place to fill up at $2.99 a litre in Hawthorn.

Some petrol stations in Kingsbury in Melbourne's North are charging $3.10 a litre.

The next most expensive petrol in Sydney is in Lewisham, at just over $2.79.

The nation's average is currently sitting at $2.45 a litre with little relief in sight due to the escalating conflict in the Middle East.

"We need to see the government come out and clearly communicate with the Australian people what fuel supplies we have, and where our future fuel supplies are coming from," Liberal Senator Paul Scarr told Today.

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"We need to make sure that diesel flows through to our farmers, and that's really incredibly important to make sure that we get the food on the table and we support all of our productive industries."

In an urgent decision, the ACCC has allowed fuel companies to collaborate and coordinate fuel supply.

"This is part of the government's decisive action to make more fuel available to industry and households and keep fuel flowing to where it's most needed, including the bush," Treasurer Jim Chalmers said.

READ MORE: Crisis escalates as petrol stations across NSW run out of fuel

"It's really important that the big players in the fuel markets don't treat this as a chance to disadvantage the independents who play a vital role, including in regional Australia."

The decision will allow fuel companies to exchange and coordinate information surrounding the fuel supply across the country to prevent shortages without breaching competition laws.

However, fuel suppliers are still not allowed to share information or reach agreements on fuel prices.

The call comes as NSW Premier Chris Minns announced yesterday that about 80 petrol stations in the state were without diesel and about 40 had no petrol at all.

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Trump considering 'winding down' his war in Iran, but invasion plans reportedly being drafted

Trump considering 'winding down' his war in Iran, but invasion plans reportedly being drafted

9News

Donald Trump said he is considering winding down the war in Iran, even as reports emerge of the Pentagon planning a ground invasion.

In a post on Truth Social this morning, Trump detailed his achievements since starting the war three weeks ago.

"We are getting very close to meeting our objectives as we consider winding down our great Military efforts in the Middle East with respect to the Terrorist Regime of Iran," he said.

READ MORE: How the war in Iran is impacting Australia's oil supply

"(1) Completely degrading Iranian Missile Capability, Launchers, and everything else pertaining to them. (2) Destroying Iran's Defense Industrial Base. (3) Eliminating their Navy and Air Force, including Anti Aircraft Weaponry. (4) Never allowing Iran to get even close to Nuclear Capability, and always being in a position where the U.S.A. can quickly and powerfully react to such a situation, should it take place. (5) Protecting, at the highest level, our Middle Eastern Allies, including Israel, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, Kuwait, and others. The Hormuz Strait will have to be guarded and policed, as necessary, by other Nations who use it — The United States does not!

"If asked, we will help these Countries in their Hormuz efforts, but it shouldn't be necessary once Iran's threat is eradicated. 

"Importantly, it will be an easy Military Operation for them."

But his claims come as Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei declared victory in his own statement.

READ MORE: Son of ousted king positions himself to take over in Iran

"The enemy has been defeated," Khamenei said.

"(Iranians have) dealt him a dizzying blow so that he now starts uttering contradictory words and nonsense."

Trump's purported consideration of winding down the war comes at the same time as reports of an invasion being planned.

CBS News reports the Pentagon has made detailed plans for a ground invasion of Iran.

But Trump denied the plans in an obtuse way.

"No, I'm not putting troops anywhere," he said.

"If I were, I certainly wouldn't tell you."

READ MORE: Donald Trump lashes out at NATO 'cowards' for not joining war

He is also considering using ground troops to occupy Iran's strategically valuable Kharg Island, according to reports.

Axios cited four sources as saying the Trump Administration was considering a blockade of the island or even landing troops there.

When questioned about this outside the White House, Trump was coy.

"I may have a plan, I may not," he said.

"It's certainly a place that people are talking about. But I can't tell you that."

READ MORE: Trump berates allies as he finds himself alone on Iran war

Because Iran's coastline is too shallow for massive tankers, 90 per cent of Iran's oil is exported via Kharg Island.

US Central Command confirmed today that 232 American service members have been injured since the war began three weeks ago.

Of those, ten are seriously wounded, and 207 have been able to return to duty.

READ MORE: Trump considering ground invasion of critical Iranian island: reports

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What Olivia's daughter did here almost cost her mum her licence

What Olivia's daughter did here almost cost her mum her licence

9News

The number of Perth drivers hit by seatbelt fines from artificial intelligence-based cameras has soared, with tens of millions of dollars in penalties handed out for 40,000 fines in the past five months.

Hundreds of motorists who argue their fines are unfair are preparing to take their cases to court but there are no apologies from the state's top cop.

When Olivia Wood's eight-year-old daughter's seatbelt shuffle was snapped on the Kwinana Highway in Salter Point it almost cost the Perth nurse her licence.

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"I always make sure my kids have their seat belts in at the beginning of the trip and throughout the whole trip," she told 9News.

But Wood was hit with eight demerits and a $550 fine.

"You can actually see from the image that her seat belt is plugged in, she may have momentarily adjusted her knee," Wood said.

She's one of a growing many who plan to fight the infringement in court. 

"I think what would be much better ... would be that if she was taken into the police station, given some education," Wood said.

Police Commissioner Col Blanch maintained a hard-line stance on road safety. 

"We also want people to make sure at the start of a trip that adults in the car are wearing their seat belts, kids are wearing their seat belts, and they continue to do so," he said.

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"But that doesn't neglect your duties from looking at the windscreen being safe as well. 

"People can do both things at the same time. "

Transport expert Ross Taylor is preparing to face court after his granddaughter shifted her sash, landing his daughter in hot water.

"As a single mum with three neurodivergent children, to have her car is really fundamental to getting the children to medical appointments, to school," he told 9News.

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An email account he created to help others in the same situation has received about 200 responses.

"Absolutely 100 per cent of the people that have made contact with me, in every occasion they acted honestly and reasonably at the beginning of the journey to make sure their passengers were correctly buckled in," he said,

In one instance, a front-seat passenger with a shoulder injury snapped wearing the sash off to the side, leaving the driver with eight demerit points and a $550 fine.

A new mother with mastitis who moved the strap off her sore chest was caught twice by AI cameras and slapped with $1100 in fines.

The Road Safety Commission review into WA AI camera legislation and penalties is expected to report next year. 

In the meantime, lawyers are preparing to challenge a spate of seatbelt fines in court.

"We've been approached by a group currently containing in excess of some 80 potential clients who are aggrieved by their infringements and are wanting to explore their legal options," Parella legal barrister and solicitor Tom Dellar told 9News.

Some drivers have already been successful in having fines overturned but others have been forced to pay after their penalties were upheld. 

"The cameras only capture a single moment in time, and if the driver honestly believed that their passenger was properly belted up, and it was reasonable for the driver to believe that, then they may have a defence," Dellar said.

But the commissioner remained firm. 

"One in five deaths on WA roads is seatbelt related; 2026 started with our highest number of road deaths in years," Blanch said.

"Wear it properly. It's designed a certain way by very smart people, much smarter than me."

The fine saga is growing by the day as more drivers find they're copping penalties for how their passengers wear seat belts.

The Road Safety Commission is looking at what can be changed, but ultimately it is a decision for the government, and that could be cold comfort for drivers. 

"These safety cameras are about changing behaviour," a government spokesperson said in a statement. 

"Drivers were issued an eight-month warning period. 

"The law is clear and responsibility remains with the driver to ensure passengers wear their seatbelt correctly."

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Thousands queue for vaccines, antibiotics as deadly outbreak grows

Thousands queue for vaccines, antibiotics as deadly outbreak grows

9News

The UK has issued an urgent public health alert as a deadly meningitis outbreak continues to grow in south-east England.

Students at the University of Kent queued around campus on Wednesday to receive vaccinations and antibiotics after one of their peers died earlier this week.

The outbreak has been identified as a known strain of meningitis B, which is typically spread by prolonged and close contact.

LIVE UPDATES: Iran pledges to hit back over gas field attack

The explosive outbreak is believed to have originated at a nightclub in Canterbury.

At least 20 confirmed and suspected cases of the potentially life-threatening virus have been recorded in Kent over the last few days.

Two people have died: a University of Kent student, and a sixth former (high schooler) from nearby Faversham.

At least 11 others have been hospitalised.

The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) Chief Executive, Susan Hopkins, told the BBC the organisation is trying to figure out how the virus spread so quickly.

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"We see clusters all the time," Professor Paul Hunter at the Norwich School of Medicine, University of East Anglia told The Guardian.

"What's unusual is the size of this cluster. That's the scary thing."

Vaccinations have been offered to about 5000 students at the University of Kent.

Students told the BBC some of their peers have packed up and fled the city.

Local pharmacies have reportedly started wait lists for locals seeking the meningitis vaccine.

No cases have emerged yet that are not linked to the original cluster in Kent but health workers across England have been warned to look out for signs of infection.

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Meningitis is a potentially deadly infection of the protective membranes around the brain and spinal cord.

It's usually caused by a bacterial or viral infection and can spread through sneezing, coughing or kissing.

Symptoms develop suddenly and can include fever, headache, a rash, neck stiffness, light sensitivity, drowsiness and seizures.

It can cause permanent brain and nerve damage, sepsis, or death if not treated quickly with antibiotics.

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The comments from Trump's right-hand man that should annoy every Aussie driver

The comments from Trump's right-hand man that should annoy every Aussie driver

9News

In a speech that would offer little comfort to Australians, US Vice President JD Vance has told an audience other countries were "suffering" on petrol prices worse than America.

Petrol prices have shot up worldwide in the wake of the US war on Iran. Here in Australia, the average cost of unleaded petrol is now $2.29/litre and diesel up to $2.71/litre.

But things are worse "overseas", Vance said at a rally in Detroit.

READ MORE: Trump berates allies as he finds himself alone on Iran war

"So as much as we've got to focus on getting these gas prices down, the reality is, overseas they're feeling it far worse than we did because we've taken the steps to protect our energy economy."

Vance appeared to blame US allies for not focusing enough on securing fossil fuels.

"We actually worked with a lot of our allies all over the world who are suffering from this frankly more than we are because unlike the United States where we pursued an energy dominance agenda," he said.

"You've got a lot of people all over the world who have focused on a lot of green energy scams and they're hurting a lot more than we are."

Vance spoke of "working with allies" to release hundreds of millions of barrels out of petroleum reserves to put downward pressure on prices.

READ MORE: Donald Trump says he'll be 'taking Cuba' in latest escalation

Australia was one such country to release petrol from its reserves, though it has not appeared to bring prices down.

In the US, a litre of petrol costs about A$1.44. That's about 80 cents cheaper than average prices at the bowser in Australia.

As a net oil exporter, the US has not seen panic buying at petrol stations like in Australia.

But Americans are still feeling the pinch after seeing petrol prices surge.

In his speech, Vance pointed to high prices under the Biden administration.

"(Petrol prices are) not even as high as they were during certain parts of the Biden administration because of what's going on in the Middle East," he said.

"It's not going to last forever."

READ MORE: The four-letter acronym that could pull Trump out of Iran

Yesterday Donald Trump's top economic advisor said The pain felt by consumers as a result of the war with Iran is "the last of our concerns". 

National Economic Council Director Kevin Hassett told CNBC that the war with Iran "wouldn't really disrupt the US economy very much at all".

"It would hurt consumers and we'd have to think about if that continued what we would have to do about that," Hassett said.

"But that's the like, really the last of our concerns right now because we're very confident that this thing is going ahead of schedule."

US inflation data released overnight was twice the anticipated figure. 

Petrol prices are anticipated to rise further with a substantial jump in oil prices today.

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Death of the CBD: Aussies deserting city centres as cost of living bites

Death of the CBD: Aussies deserting city centres as cost of living bites

9News

More Aussies than ever before are avoiding the major city centres, with nearly 20 per cent saying they avoid the CBD altogether, a new study claims.

Around 40 per cent of Australians said they visit the CBD for things like shopping, dining or other activities less than once a month, with one in five refusing to go at all, a study from Square claims.

Using transaction data from 2019 to the end of last year, it found residents of Sydney and Melbourne are looking to shop more locally, with spending in Sydney's CBD dropping by four per cent, and in Melbourne CBD dropping by 39 per cent.

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It is a trend that began during the COVID-19 pandemic when Australia's big cities were hit by lockdown, but it has continued to become a common theme of city life.

The increasing cost of living pressures are contributing to Aussies becoming more insular, with 68 per cent of Aussies surveyed by Square claiming they are seeking more affordability by looking closer to home when doing their weekly shopping and other activities.

Outlets in the suburbs are seeing a surge in traffic and earnings as a result, with people choosing to remain close to their homes when spending time with family and friends, or when choosing to dine out.

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Around 78 per cent of Aussies look to spend time with friends and families locally, with 75 per cent meeting up at cafes in their local postcode, and experts believe smaller businesses are cracking the code in bringing customers back time and time again.

"City centres depend on traffic while neighbourhoods depend on loyalty," Head of Account Management at Square David Schnabl said.

"Someone who pops in every week is far more valuable than someone who splurges once and doesn't come back. The smart play in 2026 is simple: give people a reason to return."

READ MORE: Millions of Aussies will get an extra hour of sleep next month as daylight saving ends

Like businesses in the CBD, Schnabl said they aren't immune to the economic pressures forced by interest rate rises and the uncertainty of the war in the Middle East, but said businesses in the suburbs were better placed to bounce back than those in the CBD.

"The suburbs aren't slowing down, they're finding their rhythm," he said.

"The businesses that become part of that rhythm will be the ones that thrive."

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Trump berates allies as he finds himself alone on Iran war

Trump berates allies as he finds himself alone on Iran war

9News

For the last 80 years, every American military action has come with the backing of many of its allies - including Australia.

That includes expensive and bloody conflicts which lasted for years in Korea, Vietnam, Iraq and Afghanistan.

But as Donald Trump reaches out for military support for his war in Iran, he has found himself largely alone.

READ MORE: Donald Trump says he'll be 'taking Cuba' in latest escalation

Yesterday he was asked what countries were offering their support in order to reopen the Strait of Hormuz.

"We have some that are really enthusiastic. They're coming already," Trump said.

"They've already started to."

And today, the president berated allies, including Australia, for not offering warships.

"Because of the fact that we have had such Military Success, we no longer 'need,' or desire, the NATO Countries' assistance — WE NEVER DID! Likewise, Japan, Australia, or South Korea," he wrote on Truth Social.

"In fact, speaking as President of the United States of America, by far the Most Powerful Country Anywhere in the World, WE DO NOT NEED THE HELP OF ANYONE!"

Speaking to the ABC this morning, Treasurer Jim Chalmers said the Australian government was not formally asked for support.

"There wasn't a formal request to send ships to the strait," he said.

"It's not something that we've been considering in the almost daily National Security Committee meetings that have been taking place over the course of the last couple of weeks."

READ MORE: The four-letter acronym that could pull Trump out of Iran

Overnight Trump took a swipe at the president of Ireland after she said his war with Iran was "an attack on international law".

But Trump appeared unaware that Irish President Catherine Connolly was a woman.

"He's lucky I exist," Trump said of Connolly.

"If you're gonna allow countries that are sick and demented – and they are demented – to have nuclear weapons– everybody in the whole world should be very thankful."

He was sitting beside Irish Prime Minister Micheal Martin as he made his remarks.

So far, the only countries to have involved themselves in offensive operations against Iran are the US and Israel.

It now appears ships connected with countries friendlier to Iran are being cleared for safe exit from the Strait of Hormuz.

That includes several ships from India transporting oil and gas from the region.

READ MORE: 'Dead by June': Trump announces congressman's private diagnosis

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