As the US and UK strike Yemen’s Houthi rebels,the federal opposition calls for the group to be designated as a terror organisation in Australia in response to its attacks on Red Sea shipping.
The Houthis,who control most of Yemen,have been targeting Red Sea shipping routes to show their support for Hamas,a Palestinian Islamist group.
Australia’s support for the attacks,carried out by a coalition of allies,contributes to a number of government objectives. Foremost,it silences critics.
Analysts at Westpac believe oil prices could rise more still as the airstrikes against the Yemeni rebel group continue.
The Houthis say their assaults are aimed at stopping Israel’s war on Hamas in the Gaza Strip,but their targets increasingly have little – or no – connection to Israel.
The US military’s Central Command said the “complex attack” launched by the Houthis included bomb-carrying drones,anti-ship cruise missiles and one anti-ship ballistic missile.
Despite the attacks and the risk of more conflict,some companies are insisting that the oil tankers they charter take the Suez Canal route,rather than an excursion around Africa.
The detonation of an unmanned vessel in the Red Sea did not damage any ships,but marked a significant escalation in their Gaza-related harassment campaign.
Thursday’s strike comes amid mounting regional tensions fuelled by the Israel-Hamas war and fears that it could spill over into surrounding countries.
Australia and 11 other nations condemn Houthi attacks on shipping as “illegal,unacceptable and profoundly destabilising”,warning they cannot continue.
The attack on the ship prompted Maersk to pause all sailing through the Red Sea for 48 hours,the company said on Sunday.