Australia to lead Red Sea protection mission amid Houthi attacks

Australia will command an international mission to secure vital shipping routes in the Red Sea, marking a first-time leadership role for the nation in this critical maritime security effort.

Australia will oversee a Red Sea taskforce. Source: AAP / Supplied by department of defence

Australia will take command of an international mission aimed at safeguarding shipping routes in the Red Sea for the first time.

The bigger picture: Australia will take command of Combined Task Force 153 (CTF 153) from October for a six-month period, the Defence department announced on Friday.

This mission comes as Iran-backed Houthi rebels have previously targeted this critical trade corridor to disrupt Israeli military actions following the October 7 Hamas attack.

Established in April 2022, CTF 153 focuses on maritime security in the Red Sea, Bab al-Mandeb, and the Gulf of Aden.

The key quote: "Taking command will provide Australian Navy personnel good experience in operations to protect maritime shipping through key maritime choke points - a task that will be highly relevant to Australia's national security in the event of a crisis or conflict in the Indo-Pacific," Australian National University expert associate Jennifer Parker said.

What else to know: The Albanese government last year was criticised by security experts for declining a US request to deploy a warship to protect maritime security in the Middle East.

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