The country’s deputy PM and defence minister, Richard Marles, has given the only real insight so far into Australia’s role.

Speaking to media a short time ago, he said it had come “in the form of personnel in the operational headquarters”, but did not elaborate further.

The air strikes were about ensuring freedom of navigation on the seas and maintaining global trade, he added.

“That is completely central to Australia’s national interest. This decision was not taken lightly.”

Earlier we reported that the Houthis said they would continue attacking ships in the Red Sea headed for or associated with Israel.

Here’s more from the group’s spokesman, Mohammed Abdulsalam: “We affirm that there is absolutely no justification for this aggression against Yemen, as there was no threat to international navigation in the Red and Arabian Seas.”

The targeting was and will continue to affect Israeli ships or those heading to the ports of occupied Palestine,” he wrote in a 

Abdulsalam added the US and UK were “wrong” to think that the strikes “would deter Yemen from supporting Palestine and Gaza”.

Iran’s foreign ministry has condemned the strikes on Yemen as a “clear violation of Yemen’s sovereignty and territorial integrity” and a violation of international laws.