A grieving mother has spoken for the first time since her son died at a train station in Melbourne's outer north-east.

Thousands of people stood in silence at a vigil last night to honour 22-year-old Aidan Becker, who was allegedly murdered by four teenagers as he tried to help a younger boy who was allegedly being robbed at Mernda Station on Friday, March 6.

His mother Natalie Becker addressed the crowd through tears with the support of his father and sister.

READ MORE: Will the pumps run dry? How the war in Iran is impacting Australia's oil supply

"I know that my beautiful boy would have done it all again in a heartbeat because that's the boy he was," Mrs Becker said.

She also shared a moment of gratitude for the strangers who showed the same courage as her son.

"I thank you for trying. I thank you Anthony for telling my boy his family loved him because those would have been the last words he heard," she said.

READ MORE: Iran war will end 'when I feel it in my bones', says Trump

A tribute is growing at the spot where the hospital security guard took his last breath.

Dozens of flowers, candles and messages from strangers who never knew him but won't forget what he did. 

"The number of people gathered here is a powerful reflection of just how many lives Aidan has touched," local Farrell Paton said.

"Rest in peace Aidan, a real hero."

The Becker family say they have been overwhelmed with their community's outpouring of love.

More than $100,000 has been raised through an online fundraiser.

"The only reason we're here and not curled up in a ball somewhere is because of each and everyone one of you," Mrs Becker said.

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US President Donald Trump has said the war with Iran will end "when I feel it in my bones".

Trump was asked on The Brian Kilmeade Show about the timeline of the war, which he previously described as a "brief excursion".

"When it's over –– and I don't think it's going to be long –– when it's over, this is going to bounce back so fast," the president said.

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The oblique response comes as America scaled up its attacks in Iran and signalled a further escalation.

On Wednesday he said there was "nothing left" to bomb in Iran.

But this morning he announced "one of the most powerful bombing raids in the history of the Middle East".

Trump said he had destroyed every military target on what he described as "Iran's crown jewel" – Kharg Island.

Meanwhile, thousands of ground troops are being deployed by the US military to the Middle East, according to reports.

The Wall Street Journal reports the Pentagon has approved moving an additional 5000 Marines and sailors into the region.

The request for more troops was made by US Central Command and approved by Secretary of Defence Pete Hegseth.

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The troops of the 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit are attached to the USS Tripoli, an amphibious assault ship usually based in Japan.

Neither the Pentagon or the White House have confirmed whether the transfer of the ship to the region is coming ahead of a ground invasion of Iran.

But in order for the US to have substantial numbers of troops on the ground from an amphibious invasion, they would need a vessel like this.

The 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit specialises in amphibious invasions.

Already there are 50,000 US troops in the region, but Donald Trump has demurred on whether he will order a ground invasion of Iran.

READ MORE: Son of ousted king positions himself to take over in Iran

But the Trump administration continues to tout their successes in the war.

"With each passing hour—we know, and we know that they know—that the military capabilities of their Evil Regime are crumbling," Hegseth said today.

"They can barely communicate, let alone coordinate. They are confused; we know it.

"Our response: we will keep pressing. Keep pushing. Keep advancing. No quarter. And no mercy for our enemies."

Overnight US Central Command confirmed that all crew aboard a refuelling aircraft had died after a crash.

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The KC-135 crashed in western Iraq.

"The circumstances of the incident are under investigation," a statement read.

"However, the loss of the aircraft was not due to hostile fire or friendly fire."

It takes the US death toll from the war to 13.

Strikes continued overnight, with Iran targeting oil infrastructure in the Gulf region.

Iran has appeared to have struck Bahrain, Oman, Dubai and Turkey overnight.

Meanwhile in Iran, a large explosion was reported during a mass gathering to mark Quds Day, an event held in support of Palestine.

While Trump has been active on social media in the past few hours, he has made little mention of Iran.

Instead he has posted twice about renovations to his renamed Trump-Kennedy Centre.

He also posted on Truth Social an attack on New York Times reporter Maggie Haberman, who he called Maggot Hagerman.

READ MORE: Trump weighs in on rumours Iran has put a dead man in charge

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The government has been assuring Australians that the country is not going to run out of petrol in spite of the crisis in the Middle East.

Today Energy Minister Chris Bowen said fuel reserves were "steady compared to last week".

"Australia continues to receive expected fuel imports," he said.

"But we've seen unacceptable shortages in some rural and regional areas — and the Government has acted."

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But as some drivers are turned away from service stations and prices go through the roof, there's plenty of cause for concern.

Independent economist Saul Eslake told nine.com.au Australia probably won't run out of petrol.

But the circumstances are different from the Gulf Wars or the Russian invasion of Ukraine, which also caused prices to spike.

"I don't think it will. But the probability is not zero," he said.

"It's higher than it was in 2022, in 2004 and 1991."

Most of Australia's fuel comes into the country already refined, practically none of it directly from the Persian Gulf region.

South Korea sold us $12.75 billion of petrol (including diesel). Another $8.5 billion came from Singapore.

More refined petroleum came from Malaysia, India, Taiwan, China, Brunei and Japan. Only a few hundred million dollars worth came from the United Arab Emirates (UAE), and even less from Oman.

But where those refiners get their oil from might worry Australians looking to fill up.

READ MORE: Supermarket pain for shoppers as inflation nears record high

Most of the oil South Korea refines for sale to Australia comes from the Middle East.

That includes Saudi Arabia, Iraq, the UAE, Kuwait, Qatar and Oman.

More than a third of Singapore's oil is sourced from Arab nations.

In 2024, Australia imported $7 billion of crude oil.

But very little of that is coming from the Strait of Hormuz.

The largest chunk of oil comes from Malaysia, based on 2024 data. More comes from Vietnam, Brunei and the United States.

Only six per cent comes from the UAE. No other Arab states sold oil directly to Australia that year.

Australia also exports almost as much crude oil as it imports.

AMP economist My Bui said she wasn't too worried about Australia running out of petrol.

"We export a lot of crude oil, and we have to import a lot of our refined petrol from Asia," she said.

"But in terms of energy, we are actually a net energy exporter because of LNG and coal."

Eslake flagged another potential concern for Australia's fuel supply.

A large proportion of Australia's strategic reserve isn't kept domestically, but in the United States.

"If that reserve is needed by the United States, they'll take it," Eslake said.

"One of the other hallmarks of the Trump administration is that they don't give a rat's ass about their traditional allies."

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Simply halting those exports to guarantee local supply wouldn't necessarily solve the problem.

Australia exports its crude oil and imports refined oil because it's cheaper to do so.

Australia does not have the capacity to refine all the oil it needs into diesel and petrol. Upping our refining capacity would lead to even higher prices at the pumps.

But having enough petrol in the country won't necessarily mean prices will go down.

Because of the global market, a barrel of oil in the Middle East will sell for the same price as one in Australia.

READ MORE: Trump has been giving the Iranians the boot. Now he demands asylum

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A Melbourne man is in intensive care after a brawl broke out at a pizza shop in front of shocked diners.

The business only opened on Tuesday but the owner claims he's received threats since he began renovations last month.

Daje Pizza restaurant owner Andrea Caroli and his friend say they were forced to defend themselves when three men stormed the store on Sydney Road in Brunswick last night.

READ MORE: Will the pumps run dry? How the war in Iran is impacting Australia's oil supply

Customers ran out of the shop as punches were thrown and chairs, a crowbar and a fire extinguisher were also used in the brawl, which was captured on CCTV. 

"Came into the shop, three of them, three big guys, they started punching and kicking, they damaged the shop as well," Caroli said.

Caroli suffered a black eye but his friend copped the brunt of the attack.

He is in ICU at the Royal Melbourne Hospital in a stable condition with head injuries.

"His eye was like this," Caroli said, gesturing a swollen eye.

READ MORE: Iran war will end 'when I feel it in my bones', says Trump

"I've never seen anything like that and his mouth, blood everywhere, he vomited a few times."

Caroli claims a rival pizza shop owner is behind the attack after receiving threats while renovating last month.

"All this because we are competition, they're scared that they're going to lose their business," he said.

Despite being injured and the clean-up ahead, Caroli is already back in the kitchen getting ready to serve customers tonight.

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Celebrity competitors like JManGo, Piri Weepu and Peter Gordon thrilled fans.

What would you do with all that money?

Federated Mountain Clubs says de-watering Morgan Gorge would destroy a unique site.

South Korea’s military said on Saturday it detected North Korea firing at least one projectile toward its eastern sea.

South Korea’s Joint Chiefs of Staff didn’t immediately say whether the weapon was ballistic or how far it flew.

The launch came as the United States and South Korea conduct their annual springtime joint military exercises involving thousands of troops while the Trump administration also wages an escalating war against Iran.

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The North has long described the allies’ drills as invasion rehearsals and often uses them as a pretext to dial up its own military demonstrations or weapons testing.

The launch came days after the powerful sister of North Korean leader Kim Jong Un on Tuesday criticised Washington and Seoul for proceeding with their drills at a perilous moment for global security, and warned that any challenge to the North’s safety would bring “terrible consequences.”

The 11-day Freedom Shield exercise, which runs until March 19, is one of two annual command post exercises conducted by the militaries of the United States and South Korea.

READ MORE: Will the pumps run dry? How the war in Iran is impacting Australia's oil supply

The largely computer-simulated drills are designed to test the allies’ joint operational capabilities, while incorporating evolving war scenarios and security challenges.

Freedom Shield will be accompanied by a field training program called Warrior Shield.

North Korea has repeatedly rejected Washington and Seoul’s calls to resume diplomacy aimed at winding down its nuclear program.

READ MORE: Iran war will end 'when I feel it in my bones', says Trump

Talks derailed in 2019 following the collapse of Kim’s second summit with US President Donald Trump during his first term.

Kim has made Russia the priority of his foreign policy, sending thousands of troops and large amounts of military equipment to support Moscow’s war in Ukraine, possibly in exchange for aid and military technology.

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Firefighters are working to extinguish the fire involving a number of cars.

A missile struck a helipad inside the US Embassy in Baghdad, two security officials said.

The projectile landed within the embassy's boundaries after the Green Zone, the heavily fortified district in central Baghdad that houses Iraqi government institutions and foreign embassies, added the security officials, who spoke on the condition of anonymity as they are not authorised to speak with the press.

Video obtained by The Associated Press showed smoke billowing from inside the compound.

READ MORE: Will the pumps run dry? How the war in Iran is impacting Australia's oil supply

There was no immediate comment from the US Embassy in Baghdad.

On Friday, the embassy renewed its Level 4 security alert for Iraq, warning that Iran and Iran-aligned militia groups have previously carried out attacks against US citizens, interests and infrastructure, and "may continue to target them."

The sprawling embassy complex, one of the largest US diplomatic facilities in the world, has been repeatedly targeted by rockets and drones in the past by Iran-aligned militias.

These groups have recently stepped up attacks on bases hosting US and coalition troops.

A drone strike in northern Iraq on Thursday killed a French soldier and wounded several others stationed there as part of an international coalition.

READ MORE: Iran war will end 'when I feel it in my bones', says Trump

US President Donald Trump has said the war with Iran will end "when I feel it in my bones".

Trump was asked on The Brian Kilmeade Show about the timeline of the war, which he previously described as a "brief excursion".

"When it's over –– and I don't think it's going to be long –– when it's over, this is going to bounce back so fast," the president said.

The US has attacked a piece of vital infrastructure in Iran that has so far been untouched by the war.

Donald Trump announced this morning that he had "executed one of the most powerful bombing raids in the history of the Middle East" on Kharg Island.

In a Truth Social post, the US president said he had destroyed every military target on what he described as "Iran's crown jewel".

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