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Since Donald Trump’s decision to join Israel in a war on Iran, the world has been asking “why?” and “what’s the plan?” But does the US president have one, and does the American public have the appetite for a war that could continue indefinitely? The Guardian’s Washington bureau chief David Smith speaks to Reged Ahmad about how long this all could go on for and what’s really motivating Donald Trump.

Not long after the US and Israel launched a deadly attack on Iran, the Australian government came out swiftly to express total support for the action. It was a position starkly at odds with other countries such as the UK and a majority of European nations, which instead expressed caution and a need for diplomacy. The US and Israeli bombing of Iran has been deemed illegal by experts around the world. So where does this leave Australia on the international stage and why is the prime minister so staunch in his support for his US ally? Political editor Tom McIllroy speaks to Nour Haydar

Israel and the US have launched a barrage of missile strikes on Iran, supported by a vast American armada that has been building up in the region. The strikes have killed Iran’s supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, who had ruled since 1989, and as Iran retaliated the situation unravelled quickly with Tehran firing on Israel and several other gulf states that have US military bases. As of Monday morning, the death toll is slowly mounting, including more than 100 children reportedly killed in Iran. Senior international correspondent Julian Borger speaks to Reged Ahmad about how a conflict that experts say breaks international law could unfold from here

The federal government has released the business case for a bullet train between Sydney and Newcastle, promising funding in hopes of getting the $60bn project ‘shovel ready’ within two years. Commuters would be able to travel between the cities in a single hour, cutting the journey by more than half. But we have been here before, with Anthony Albanese joining a long line of prime ministers who have announced grand plans for the train line before putting them back on the shelf. Senior reporter Tory Shepherd speaks to Reged Ahmad about the many broken promises in the long journey to high-speed rail and asks: could we really get it this time?

Punch, a baby monkey in a Japanese zoo, has gone viral after bonding with a plush orangutan. That toy, from Ikea’s Djungelskog range, is now in high demand around the world – including in the Guardian Australia newsroom. Education reporter Caitlin Cassidy waits in line to buy a toy and see what the all hype is about