Australia Rejects US Request to Join Red Sea Naval Operation

Australia has rejected a US request for a warship to help protect international shipping lanes in the Red Sea, with Defense Minister Richard Marles saying the nation’s strategic focus had to remain on the Indo-Pacific.
Marles, who is also deputy prime minister, told Sky News on Thursday that Australia wouldn’t be sending a “ship or a plane” to the Middle East, but would instead almost triple its troop contribution to the US-led maritime force, Bloomberg reported.

“We need to be really clear around our strategic focus and our strategic focus is our region,” Marles said.