Australia supports US and UK in air strikes against Yemen-based Houthi rebels

In response to attacks by Houthi rebels on commercial shipping, Australia has joined the United Kingdom and United States in carrying out airstrikes in Yemen.

Australia has joined the United States, the United Kingdom and a host of other countries to carry out air strikes against Iran-backed Houthi rebels.

The strikes, which included warship-launched Tomahawk missiles and fighter jets, were launched in a bid to deter the Yemen-based militant group’s string of attacks on commercial ships traversing the Red Sea, a major thoroughfare for global trade, which have escalated in recent months.

Successfully targeting more than a dozen sites, including training bases, as well as radar, missile and drone capabilities, the strikes were confirmed by a joint statement released on Friday (AEDT) by the Australian government, alongside other participating countries.

Cargo ships traversing the Red Sea, one of the most critical trade routes in the world, have faced attacks from Houthi rebels. Picture: AFP / Christophe Simon

“In response to continued illegal, dangerous, and destabilising Houthi attacks against vessels, including commercial shipping, transiting the Red Sea, the armed forces of the United States and United Kingdom, with support from the Netherlands, Canada, Bahrain, and Australia, conducted joint strikes in accordance with the inherent right of individual and collective self-defence, consistent with the UN Charter, against a number of targets in Houthi-controlled areas of Yemen,” the statement read.

“These precision strikes were intended to disrupt and degrade the capabilities the Houthis use to threaten global trade and the lives of international mariners in one of the world’s most critical waterways.

“Our aim remains to de-escalate tensions and restore stability in the Red Sea, but let our message be clear: We will not hesitate to defend lives and protect the free flow of commerce in one of the world’s most critical waterways in the face of continued threats.”

Defence Minister Richard Marles would not answer questions about when the decision was made to carry out the attacks on Houthi rebels. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Martin Ollman

Defence Minister Richard Marles said the ADF had performed a non-operational role in support of the air strikes.

“Our support has come in the form of personnel in the operational headquarters for this activity,” Mr Marles told reporters in Geelong.

“The actions that have been taken today, supported by Australia are about maintaining freedom of navigation on the high seas. They are about maintaining global trade that is completely central to Australia’s national interest. This decision was not taken lightly.”

However, when questioned over when the Albanese government was first informed by the US or UK about the decision to carry out the attacks, Marles said he would not divulge such information.

“We’re obviously in close contact with our partners in the United States and the United Kingdom,” he said.

The strikes followed an escalation of attacks by the Houthi militants in recent days, however, the response is likely to stoke fears of a broader outbreak of conflict in the Middle East that could threaten trade and crude flows.

Vessels have been patrolling the Red Sea since the Houthi attacks commenced in November. Picture: AFP / Alberto Pizzoli.

According to the US Central Command, the Houthi militants have launched 27 attacks on commercial vessels in the Red Sea since mid-November.

Oil prices jumped overnight, with West Texas Intermediate jumping as much as 2.4 per cent to $US74 a barrel, in response to the strikes.

Several shipping companies, including Maersk and BP, have diverted their vessels away from the area and have instead rerouted them around Africa due to the attacks.

In December, Australia denied a request from the Biden Administration to send a warship as part of international efforts to safeguard cargo from attacks by the rebels, with Australia instead opting to send up to six defence personnel to the US operation.

The Red Sea is one of the busiest shipping lanes in the world. It links the Mediterranean Sea and the Suez Canal to the Indian Ocean.

Pictures released by the UK’s Royal Air Force, showed military jets undertaking precision strikes against Houthi military targets in Yemen. Picture: Royal Air Force

Houthi leader Abdul Qader al-Mortada confirmed the major attacks had taken place.

“American-Zionist-British aggression against Yemen launches several raids on the capital, Sanaa, Hudaydah governorate, Saada, and Dhamar,” he wrote on X, formerly known as Twitter.

The rebels have vowed to continue their attacks in response to the war in Gaza, and would specifically target Israeli-affiliated vessels.

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese weighed into Iran’s role in the conflict on Thursday, accusing the country of playing a “destructive” role in the Israel-Hamas conflict.

“Iran should stop meddling and Iran is playing a very destructive role in the region,” he told reporters in Melbourne.

“Australia will continue to, through Penny Wong, make our position very clear. We want to make sure that there is not a widening of the conflict.”

Originally published as Australia supports US and UK in air strikes against Yemen-based Houthi rebels