AS IT HAPPENED: US tanker aircraft crashes; Australia slashes minimum fuel requirements; Israel claims top nuclear scientist killed

Our rolling coverage of the conflict in the Middle East will pause here.Today, we heard for the first time from Iran's new Supreme Leader, Mojtaba Khamenei, who pledged to use the Strait of Hormuz as a "tool of pressure" to leverage against the US.

However, because Khamenei's statement was written and not accompanied with audio or video, many speculated he may not be alive, including the US President Donald Trump.

An American refuelling plane crashed in western Iraq, but authorities say it was not shot down by hostile forces.

The casualties from the crash are still unknown.

Domestically, the Australian government will release more than 750 million litres of petrol and diesel to ease supply shocks currently hitting regional areas.

The town of Batlow, in NSW's South West Slopes region, says it has run out of fuel altogether and it is now too expensive to replenish it.

Thank you for following along. If events develop, you can follow them live either on this blog, or on nine.com.au.

NSW Police are warning landholders to keep a close eye on the amount of fuel they hold on their property after 800 litres of diesel was stolen from a farm in the Orange region last month.

Acting State Rural Crime Coordinator, Detective Acting Inspector Andrew Maclean said the Rural Crime Prevention Team are anticipating that with the recent increase in the cost of fuel, an increase in fuel theft is likely to occur.

"Landholders are asked to remain vigilant around their on-farm fuel storage and police encourage installing surveillance cameras, securing bowser handles with padlocks, and keeping detailed records of all fuel usage," he said.

Police are also interested in any information regarding the sale of fuel at greatly discounted rates being conducted away from service stations and legitimate fuel distributors.

UK Defence Secretary John Healey has said he believes Russian President's Vladimir Putin's "hidden hand" is behind some of the tactics Iran is using in its conflict against Israel and the US.

Speaking in London, Healey said he believed the tactics - such as low altitude flights - are emblematic of the tactics the Russians have been using against Ukraine.

"I think no one will be surprised to believe that Putin's hidden hand is behind some of the Iranian tactics and potentially, potentially some of their capabilities as well," he said to journalists.

"Because the one world leader that is benefiting from sky-high oil prices at the moment is Putin, because it helps him with a fresh supply of funds for his brutal war in Ukraine."

The US will relax restrictions it has in place about the purchasing of Russian oil as the ongoing conflict in Iran threatens to settle the price of crude oil above $US100 a barrel.

"To increase the global reach of existing supply, the US Treasury is providing a temporary authorisation to permit countries to purchase Russian oil currently stranded at sea," Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent wrote on social media.

"This narrowly tailored, short-term measure applies only to oil already in transit and will not provide significant financial benefit to the Russian government, which derives the majority of its energy revenue from taxes assessed at the point of extraction."

The price of oil - and its flow-on effect to stock markets and fuel prices - has become a bugbear in the side of Donald Trump, who has long considered stock prices as a personal barometer of his success.

US President Donald Trump has weighed in on mounting speculation that Iran's new Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei is incapacitated.

Khamenei, whose written statement this morning was not accompanied by any audio or visual footage, has been widely reported as being injured in a prior drone strike.

Trump said he thinks Khamenei is alive "in some form" in an interview with Fox News Radio.

"I think he probably is. I think he is damaged, but I think he's probably alive in some form, you know," Trump said.

Here is some more news about the US Air Force refuelling plane that crashed in Iraq earlier today.

The KC-135 tanker jet was part of the operation against Iran and went down in western Iraq, but it was not immediately clear if there were any casualties.

A US official who spoke to AP on condition of anonymity to discuss the developing situation said at least five crew members were aboard.

US Central Command said rescue efforts were underway and a second plane was involved. It also said the crash was not tied to hostile fire or friendly fire.

The KC-135 tankers typically have a crew of three. It was not immediately clear what role the extra crew members were performing aboard the flight.

Service stations across Australia have been hit by fuel shortages, leading to panic buying and queues of cars around the block in some places.

But there are no lines of locals hoping to fill up jerry cans at the independent Batlow petrol station – because it's clean out of fuel.

The only servo in the town more than 400km from Sydney ran out of petrol earlier this week and no one knows when more will arrive.

"We've got no fuel, and the operator hasn't got any and can't give us any sort of date when the fuel is going to come back," Batlow service station worker Sam Hughes said.

FULL STORY HERE

People who buy fuel and then resell it online to exploit public concern over shortages have been branded "un-Australian" by Bowen.

"I've seen it on Facebook marketplace … selling fuel at inflated prices. That is un-Australian. It's dangerous. It shouldn't be done now."

Bowen said only a few people were seeking to exploit the current situation, but said public fears were being stoked by some politicians.

"Other Australians see the news, maybe hear some irresponsible statements from some politicians like the deputy premier of Queensland or the leader of the Liberal Party in South Australia, who have engaged very irresponsibly," he said.

Bowen sharply dismissed suggestions put by reporters that fuel rationing may have to be introduced if supplies run low.

But he admitted there will be "further threats" to petrol and diesel stocks if the Middle East conflicts become worse.

"Will there be further threats to fuel supply, as the international circumstances continue to worsen? Of course," he said.

"That is a realistic thing which governments should prepare for and are prepared for, the Australian people are prepared for."

He dismissed reports of national fuel stocks running out as "inflammatory" and said "we are nowhere near that".

So how much more fuel will be released?

According to the government, up to 762 million litres of petrol and diesel from Australia's domestic reserves will be released.

It will also be targeted towards regional communities.