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US-Iran war as it happened: PM says ‘months ahead may not be easy’, asks drivers to use public transport in national address; fuel excise cut kicks in; US won’t be involved in reopening Strait of Hormuz, Trump says

Daniel Lo Surdo, Sarah McPhee and Angus Delaney
Updated ,first published

Key Posts

What happened today
Angus Taylor says PM needs to give more detail
‘The months ahead may not be easy’: Albanese
Albanese asks drivers to switch to public transport
Iran war’s economic shocks will linger for months: PM
ASX jumps on war optimism
The latest from the Middle East
Two Israeli children injured in missile attack
Pinned post from 8.07pm on Apr 1, 2026
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What happened today

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Thank you for reading our rolling coverage of the US-Israeli war on Iran and the domestic fallout from the conflict.

Our live blog has closed for the day, but will return tomorrow morning.

Here’s what we covered today:

  • The prime minister gave an address to the nation, in which he warned there could be tough times ahead for Australia if the war in the Middle East continued to disrupt global oil supply. Economic shocks would linger for months, Anthony Albanese said.
  • US President Donald Trump says the US will leave Iran very soon and won’t be involved in reopening the Strait of Hormuz for oil shipments. He suggested the US would be operating in Iran for another two or three weeks. Iran has repeatedly said it is not negotiating. Its foreign minister today confirmed he was in direct contact with US Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff.
  • The United Arab Emirates is willing to use force to help the United States open the Strait of Hormuz, The Wall Street Journal has reported. According to the report, which cites Arab officials, the UAE is lobbying the United Nations Security Council to authorise the action. A UAE official told the Journal the country was reviewing how it could play a military role in securing the crucial oil choke point, including helping clear it of mines.
  • Iran’s Revolutionary Guards Corps said it would target US companies in the region from 8pm today (3.30am Thursday AEDT) in retaliation for attacks on Iran, state media reported. The 18 companies listed in the threat included Microsoft, Google, Apple, Intel, IBM, Tesla and Boeing.

  • American freelance journalist Shelly Kittleson has been kidnapped in Iraq. Terrorist group Kata’ib Hezbollah is suspected to be involved. Two security sources said the journalist was kidnapped on Tuesday from central Baghdad. The sources said the kidnappers’ vehicle, with the journalist inside, was involved in a crash near the town of Al-Haswa in Babil province, but the journalist was transferred to a second car that fled the scene

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What was the last address to the nation about?

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Anthony Albanese has tonight joined the ranks of just a few prime ministers to give a televised address to the nation.

The last time this happened was when Scott Morrison sought to reassure families that Australia was well placed to handle the coronavirus pandemic.

Then prime minister Scott Morrison addressed the nation in 2020.

This speech occurred on March 12, 2020 – just over six years ago.

At the time, there were 140 confirmed cases of COVID in Australia.

“The medical experts tell us that, for most Australians in good health who contract the virus, they will contract a mild illness,” Morrison said at the time.

“While Australia cannot and is not immune from this virus, we are well prepared, and we are well equipped to deal with it. We do have a clear plan to see Australia through.”

Angus Taylor says PM needs to give more detail

By Brittany Busch

Opposition Leader Angus Taylor said Australia needed more detail after the prime minister’s address.

“We needed a clear plan. This was a rerun of Monday’s press conference and it didn’t give us the detail we needed to hear,” Taylor told Seven News.

“There’s a lack of confidence around Australia. There’s confusion around Australia about the state of the fuel system. How much fuel is there out there? Why is it that over 600 service stations are without fuel?”

Opposition Leader Angus Taylor demanded more detail from the prime minister.Alex Ellinghausen

Analysis: A PM’s address is a matter of urgency. This was far from it

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Our national correspondent Rob Harris questions whether the prime minister’s recap of existing policies was worthy of an urgent national address.

For hours, the country had held its breath.

The word went out at 11am that Anthony Albanese would address the nation at 7pm, and that was enough to rattle things. You don’t summon the country in prime time for good news.

Families paused holiday plans. Group chats lit up. Were we still going away? Was this about petrol – or something worse? In Britain, Keir Starmer would be speaking overnight. In America, Donald Trump too. Would we be dispatching troops?

By the time Albanese appeared from behind his desk in a pale blue tie, expectations were high.”

Read the full piece here.

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Canavan demands more details on how government will handle oil shock

By Brittany Busch

Nationals leader Matt Canavan said the prime minister’s address did nothing to alleviate his concerns that the government was not being transparent about the consequences of the oil shock.

“It does really worry me – what information is the government actually going to give us in the weeks ahead? They’re not committing to daily updates,” Canavan told Sky News.

Nationals leader Matt Canavan said he was not reassured.Alex Ellinghausen

“The prime minister says that everything is hunky-dory, that we have enough fuel here,” he said.

“Of course, I wouldn’t want to inflict pain on Australians, and rationing will be serious pain ahead of any need to do so. So it’s really up to the government here to make that decision and act in the interests of all Australians.”

Interestingly, the prime minister did not repeat in his address tonight the message he has been hammering for weeks: that Australia’s fuel supply was secure and oil was arriving onshore as planned.

‘A big bunch of nothing’: Sky News reacts

By Brittany Busch

Over on Sky News’ The Bolt Report, Andrew Bolt grinned and shook his head as he said: “Well, that was a big bunch of nothing.”

He then went on to say:

Obviously, the prime minister meant all that to reassure us – he’s on top of it. I just wonder how calming it is to be told ‘don’t panic’ in an emergency message to the nation.”

Bolt also said Anthony Albanese’s messaging was contradictory.

You know, don’t change anything. Go about life as normal. Hit the road on Easter if you wish, you know, don’t change a thing. But actually, if you can save some petrol for the farmers and the nurses, of course, that would be good.”

Sky News Australia host Andrew Bolt.Justin McManus

PM counters COVID-era fears, says Nine’s political editor

By Brittany Busch

Let’s take a look at some of the reactions to the PM’s address.

Nine’s chief political editor, Charles Croucher, thought the prime minister was trying to alleviate fears of a COVID-style response.

Charles Croucher is Channel Nine’s political editor.Wolter Peeters

“We had a collective PTSD from countries and states right around the country of what went on last time. I think they’re trying to avoid that,” Croucher said.

“This is not so much about plans and policies, but to me, this is about addressing rumours and stopping any kind of whispering campaign, WhatsApp messages or Facebook status updates that say we’re going back into lockdown.

“Stopping that now before the Easter long weekend, when everyone goes home, or goes to family functions, or just goes and enjoys themselves.”

Nine, which broadcasts Nine News, is also the owner of this masthead.

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‘The months ahead may not be easy’: Albanese

By Brittany Busch

The prime minister has wrapped his address to the nation with a warning to Australians that the world is enduring uncertain times and the country could face difficulties in coming months.

“The months ahead may not be easy. I want to be upfront about that,” Anthony Albanese said.

He said no government could promise to eliminate pressures from the war in Iran, but his would “do everything we can to protect Australia from the worst of it”.

The prime minister has warned Australians the months ahead could be difficult.Alex Ellinghausen

“These are uncertain times. But I am absolutely certain of this: we will deal with these global challenges, the Australian way. Working together - and looking after each other. As we always have.”

And that’s all from the prime minister this evening. No big announcements, but a sense of preparing the community for what might come should the Iran war, already in its second month, persist and further disrupt global trade.

Albanese asks drivers to switch to public transport

By Brittany Busch

Anthony Albanese urged Australians to go about their normal lives and enjoy the Easter holiday, before asking motorists to switch to public transport when they returned to work.

“Over coming weeks, if you can switch to catching the train or bus or tram to work, do so,” the prime minister said.

“That builds our reserves and it saves fuel for people who have no choice but to drive.”

Public transport has been made free for Victorians in April. NSW has so far decided not to go down this path.Scott McNaughton

He repeated that motorists should consider the needs of others and not take more fuel than necessary.

PM addresses the nation

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The prime minister has delivered the first address to the nation in six years. Watch it below.

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