9 News AustraliaIn this breaking news update, Today hosts discuss the sudden escalation of hostilites in the Middle East following a surprise Iranian ballistic missile attack on a key United States military airbase in Jordan. Despite a brief lull in hostilities, regional tension has erupted as former US Marine Corps Intelligence Officer Colonel Hal Kempfer joins live from Los Angeles to break down the complex geopolitical and military implications.
Following the Iranian strike—which US defense systems successfully intercepted—Donald Trump promised swift retribution, hinting at expanded military options under the international law of war. Hal Kempfer provides expert analysis on potential retaliatory targets, including dual-use infrastructure such as bridges, power plants, and oil installations, alongside the operational deployment of American B-1 strategic bombers.
The discussion highlights a major strategic shift: Saudi Arabia joining the US in direct kinetic strikes against Iranian-backed Shia proxy militias responsible for attacking regional energy assets. Kempfer addresses the severe economic disruptions facing global trade and maritime shipping routes across the Strait of Hormuz, Bab-el-Mandeb, the Red Sea, and the Suez Canal. Despite claims that Iran’s conventional air force and navy have been neutralised, Kempfer stresses that Tehran maintains significant subterranean strike capabilities through fortified “underground cities” housing vast arsenals of ballistic missiles, long-range attack drones, and incoming maneuverable re-entry vehicles.|
