Australia relies heavily on deliveries of fuel from the Middle East, some of which traverse sea lanes currently under attack in the Red Sea by Iran-backed Houthi rebels. That’s the backdrop to the United States’ request for Australia to send naval forces to help ensure the free passage of ships in the area—a strategic interest shared by the United States, Australia, and a host of other nations.
Australia also has a small, but very capable military, and has long been regarded as a vital ally of the United States.
That’s according to Brent Sadler, a research fellow at The Heritage Foundation. NTD spoke to him to find out more about the United States’ request—and just what’s at stake if shipping lanes through the Bab al-Mandab strait between Yemen and Djibouti on the Horn of Africa do not remain open and safe for shipping.
