Britain has agreed to provide limited military support to Saudi Arabia to help the kingdom defend against a fresh wave of attacks by Yemen’s Houthi rebels. Prime Minister Andy Burnham announced the decision while traveling to the United Nations General Assembly in New York, stating that he approved a Saudi request for the Royal Air Force to refuel Saudi jets on defensive missions. The arrangement will begin within days using a single RAF Voyager aircraft and is strictly time-limited to helping intercept incoming drones and missiles rather than supporting offensive strikes.
The move comes after weeks of intensifying conflict involving a Houthi offensive inside Yemen, the seizure of the port city of Mocha and Red Sea islands, and missile and drone attacks directed at Saudi cities such as Riyadh, Taif, and Yanbu. Burnham framed the decision as a matter of British economic and strategic interests as well as solidarity, noting that keeping oil shipping routes open is essential to prevent global energy supply disruptions.
British officials emphasized that the refuelling mission will not support strikes on Houthi territory. The UK, a major arms supplier to Saudi Arabia, previously deployed its Sky Sabre air defence system to the kingdom earlier this year during regional turmoil involving the US and Israel’s war with Iran.