https://www.msn.com/en-au/news/australia/northern-territory-air-base-used-as-sta...Northern Territory air base used as staging ground
for US strike on Houthi weapon stores

A remote Northern Territory air base was used as a staging post for this week's United States air strike on underground Houthi weapons stores in Yemen, an attack that has been seen as a warning to Iran.
The Department of Defence confirmed Australia provided support for US strikes on October 17, targeting the Houthi facilities "through access and overflight for US aircraft in northern Australia".
"Australia is committed to supporting the US, and key partners, in disrupting Houthi capabilities used to threaten global trade and the lives of mariners in the Red Sea, a vital international waterway," a defence spokesperson said.
US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin said early on Friday morning (AEDT) that President Joe Biden ordered the strikes to "further degrade the Houthis' capability" to destabilise the region and protect US forces in "one of the world's most critical waterways".
While the US did not mention Iran, American media noted that the B-2 is the only plane capable of hitting deeply buried Iranian nuclear facilities.
"This was a unique demonstration of the United States' ability to target facilities that our adversaries seek to keep out of reach, no matter how deeply buried underground, hardened or fortified," Mr Austin said.
"The employment of US Air Force B-2 Spirit long-range stealth bombers demonstrate US global strike capabilities to take action against these targets when necessary, anytime, anywhere."
The US has been battling Iran-backed Houthis since shortly after the Hamas terrorist attack on Israel over a year ago.
It is not known whether the bombs, known as GBU-57 Massive Ordnance Penetrators or MOPs, were used in the mission.