Australia will deploy a long-range military reconnaissance plane to the Gulf to protect civilians, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has said, according to AFP.

An E-7A Wedgetail aircraft and supporting defence force personnel will be sent for an initial period of four weeks to help “protect and secure the airspace above the Gulf”, Albanese told a news conference.

Australia also plans to provide advanced, medium-range air-to-air missiles to the United Arab Emirates “in response to a request”, the prime minister said.