United States The US has launched two airstrikes against the Islamic State. The defence secretary, Chuck Hagel, announced on Tuesday that 130 troops were being sent to Iraq as "assessors", joining 450 troops already there. The White House said on Wednesday that President Obama would decide within days about whether to send the US military to rescue the Yazidis trapped on Mount Sinjar. Deputy national security adviser Ben Rhodes said Obama was weighing a range of options, including airlifts, to establish a safe passage down. With regards to material humanitarian aid, the US has airdropped 108 bundles of food, more than 28,000 meals and 6,000 litres of water via six airdrops from four planes.
UK The international development secretary has announced £8m in assistance in the past week, bringing the total to £13m, as well as £3m for charities via four charity organisations. Four Chinook helicopters are being used on a humanitarian basis, as well as a "small number" of RAF Tornado jets for surveillance. Five airdrops over three nights have delivered thousands of water containers, litres of water and water purification containers as well as hundreds of shelter kits and solar lanterns. David Cameron said on Wednesday that a plan was under way to rescue refugees on Mount Sinjar and that "Britain will play a role in delivering them".
France The French president, Francois Hollande, pledged on Wednesday to send arms to the peshmerga forces fighting the Islamic state forces. France has also sent two aid shipments of 20 tons of water, tents, and medicine to Irbil.
EU European Union foreign ministers will hold an emergency meeting on Friday to discuss the conflicts in Iraq and Ukraine, the EU said. EU foreign policy chief Catherine Ashton "has decided to convene an extraordinary Foreign Affairs Council on Friday in Brussels on the EU's response to major ongoing crises, focusing on Iraq and Ukraine", a spokesman for Ashton said. The EU will increase aid to Iraq by €5m, bringing the total to €17m (£13.6m).
Poland 100,000 zloty (£19,000) has been pledged by the Department for Developmental Cooperation for refugee schools to accommodate hundreds of children in Northern Iraq, according to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
Hungary Tibor Navracsics, the Hungarian minster for foreign affairs and trade, has taken to Twitter to declare that €70,000 (£56,000) has been pledged for humanitarian aid to Iraq.
Australia The prime minister, Tony Abbott, said that two C-130 aircraft from UAE were on standby for humanitarian assistance.