Australia will deploy a high-tech surveillance aircraft to support international efforts to keep shipping lanes open in the Strait of Hormuz, local media reported Wednesday.
Defense Minister Richard Marles announced the deployment of an Boeing E-7 Wedgetail aircraft following a virtual meeting Tuesday involving defense ministers from more than 40 countries, SBS News reported.
The aircraft had previously been deployed to the region in March as part of efforts to protect the United Arab Emirates from Iranian strikes.
The E-7A Wedgetail is considered one of the world's most advanced airborne surveillance platforms.
The multinational mission, led by the United Kingdom and France, aims to protect navigation through the strategically important Strait of Hormuz.
Marles said Australia's role in the operation would remain strictly defensive and stressed that the deployment was intended to complement diplomatic efforts and reduce the risk of further escalation.
Australian Treasurer Jim Chalmers warned that prolonged instability in the Middle East was already affecting global energy prices and could weigh on Australia's economy through inflationary and growth pressures.
Regional tensions escalated after the United States and Israel launched strikes against Iran on Feb. 28, triggering retaliation from Tehran against Israel and US allies in the Gulf, along with the closure of the Strait of Hormuz.
A ceasefire took effect April 8 through mediation by Pakistan, though negotiations in Islamabad failed to produce a lasting agreement.
US President Donald Trump later extended the truce without setting a deadline.
