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.

On Jan. 11 at 2:30 a.m. (Sanaa time), U.S. Central Command forces, in coordination with the United Kingdom, and support from Australia, Canada, the Netherlands, and Bahrain conducted joint strikes on Houthi targets to degrade their capability to continue their illegal and… pic.twitter.com/bR8biMolSx

— U.S. Central Command (@CENTCOM) January 12, 2024

“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.”

Houthi leader Abdul-Malik al-Houthi confirmed the airstrikes had taken place and vowed to continue the groups attacks on vessels traversing the strait.

“We will not hesitate, God willing, to do everything we can, and we will confront the American aggression,” he said.

“Any American aggression will never remain without a response, and the response will not only be at the level of the recent operations that target Americans at sea with more than 24 drones and several missiles. The response will be greater than that and more than that.”

A US Navy vessel launching a Tomahawk missile at Yemen-based Houthi targets. Picture: Supplied.

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 also 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

While supportive of the airstrikes, the opposition renewed its criticism of the Albanese government’s decision to decline the US Navy’s request to send a warship.

“This weak prime minister and weak government is not taking the action they should, they haven’t provided a ship,” opposition treasury spokesman Angus Taylor told Sky News.

“This is not just a national security issue ... It’s a global security issue, it’s also a prosperity issue, a cost of living issue because if we lose those sea lanes, we’re going to pay more for everything.”

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