Australia backs US, UK airstrikes on Houthi rebels in Yemen
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More news: Australia is among several nations providing support to US and UK airstrikes on Houthi rebel targets in Yemen. It is unclear what kind of support Australia has offered but US president Joe Biden said Australia, Canada, the Netherlands and Bahrain had backed the strikes, which were aimed at countering the Houthi rebels' ability to target container ships in the Red Sea.
More numbers: Oil prices have spiked more than 2% since 6am AEDT, following the clearest indication of a broader conflict in the Middle East since the Gaza war began in October. West Texas crude futures are trading at US$73.62 a barrel while the UK's Brent benchmark is up by around US$1.70 to US$78.79.
The context: The federal government considered a request to send a warship to the Middle East to support US security efforts, but opted to send defence service personnel instead.
What they said: "Today, at my direction, US military forces — together with the United Kingdom and with support from Australia, Bahrain, Canada, and the Netherlands —successfully conducted strikes against a number of targets in Yemen used by Houthi rebels to endanger freedom of navigation in one of the world’s most vital waterways," US president Joe Biden said in a statement.
Defence Minister Richard Marles would not confirm details of Australia's involvement, but said: "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, and that is completely central to Australia's national interest. This decision was not taken lightly."
US, UK launch airstrikes on Houthi rebels in Yemen
The news: The United States and United Kingdom have launched airstrikes against Houthi rebel targets in Yemen, following rebel attacks on container ships in the Red Sea, Bloomberg reported, citing an unnamed US official. Associated Press and the Wall Street Journal also reported the strikes had begun.
The escalation has cemented concerns of a broader regional conflict in the Middle East.
The numbers: According to US officials, the Iran-backed Houthis have carried out 27 attacks on container ships in the Red Sea since 19 November, forcing Europe's shipping companies to sail around the tip of Africa to reach Asia. The Red Sea handles about 12% of world trade and is a key waterway in global energy supply chains.
The context: The Houthis have been targeting container ships they say are aligned with Israel, in solidarity with Palestine amid the Gaza war. The group has held control of the Yemeni capital of Sana’a since 2014, and have said they will confront any "American aggression", Bloomberg reports.
The sources: Bloomberg, Statement from US President Joe Biden
