The United Kingdom has announced an expansion of its defensive military support to Saudi Arabia in response to escalating Houthi attacks on Saudi cities and infrastructure.
RAF Typhoon fighter jets will fly counter-air missions to protect Saudi airspace against drones and missiles. The aircraft will operate in a purely defensive capacity and will not conduct offensive strikes against Houthi targets.
An RAF A400M transport aircraft will also be deployed to support the movement of defence equipment within the kingdom, and UK military advisers will be embedded with Saudi staff officers.
The announcement builds on existing British support, which includes air defence equipment deployments and air-to-air refuelling for Saudi defensive operations. That refuelling support covers missions aimed at degrading Houthi military targets in Yemen that threaten both Saudi and Yemeni civilians.
“The continuing attacks from the Houthis on our ally Saudi Arabia are absolutely despicable. The targeting of the airport in Riyadh in particular shows the lengths the Houthis are going to escalate the situation in the region. That’s why today I have approved further UK military support. RAF Typhoons will fly defensive air missions to help protect Saudi airspace from drones and missiles. This builds on the UK equipment and personnel we already have in the country to defend against Houthi air attacks,” Defence Secretary Wes Streeting said in a statement.
The British government cited both security and economic grounds for its involvement. Escalating conflict in the Gulf, it said, risks disrupting energy supplies and raising costs for British businesses, as well as deepening Yemen’s humanitarian crisis.
The government was explicit in condemning the Houthi strike on King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh, and reaffirmed that both Saudi Arabia and Yemen have the right to self-defence.
