Australian military reveal how they’re engaged in Houthi fight with the US and UK

The Australian Defence Force has revealed how troops are actively engaging in combating Iran-backed Houthi attacks in the Red Sea, after they were labelled ‘all feathers, no meat’ .

Australian military personnel are actively engaged in combating Iran-backed Houthi attacks in the Red Sea in two separate operations, neither of which are serving the “tea and biscuits” to allies.

It comes as Australia’s intelligence agencies review whether the Houthis should be the 30th militant group to be designated a terrorist organisation and face trade and aid sanctions.

The federal Opposition has sought to categorise Australia’s military response to the evolving crisis in the Middle East as “all feathers, no meat” and a failure of government to have only “one or two” officers involved.

Attacks on commercial ships by Yemen's Houthi rebel group, who say they are acting in protest of Israel's war in Gaza, have imperilled a vital global shipping route. Picture: Getty Images

The sledging began after the government declined to deploy a full Royal Australian Navy warship to the region to join the armada trying to keep the vital trade route open.

But it can be confirmed by next weekend the ADF will have 16 senior figures working within task forces of the multi-national Combined Maritime Force in Bahrain targeting operations in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden.

This is in addition to a second unspecified number of ADF personnel attached specifically to a unit in supporting the US/UK-led strikes to “disrupt and degrade” Houthi capabilities to launch attacks and have their arms topped up by Iran.

The indefinite ADF deployments to the two separate streams aiming to stop Houthi attacks on international commercial shipping is also under constant review and could increase as required.

“Our partners have welcomed the contributions Australia has made to both the Combined Maritime Forces and the US-led coalition efforts. Australia has been able to contribute to all the requests that we have received to the satisfaction of our partners and allies,” one senior Defence source said, speaking on condition of anonymity.

“We continue to regularly engage with our partners and allies regarding our ongoing contributions.”

Houthi fighters and supporters protested against recent US.-led strikes on Houthi targets in Yemen on Sunday. Picture: Reuters

They added the roles had already been increasing as the “evolution” of the Houthis assaults began late last year and could include operations and intelligence analysis, logistics and officers making real time status updates to feed into decision making for actions of the day.

“This is not getting the coffee, tea and biscuits type stuff but genuine staff contributions to operations,” they said.

Meanwhile, Australia is likely to follow the US and list the Houthis as a terrorist group that would outlaw any trade, aid or funding being made with the militant Yemen-based body.

It is understood intelligence agencies are reviewing the option with the Albanese government having already issued targeted sanctions on the Houthis.

A government spokesman would neither confirm nor deny the likely terror listing to join 29 other terror groups including ISIS, Al-Qaeda and Jemaah Islamiyah.

“It is the government’s long standing practice not to comment on whether or not an organisation is being or has been considered for listing under any sanctions framework or the Criminal Code,” a spokesman said.