Britain will deploy Royal Air Force (RAF) Typhoon fighter jets on defensive missions over Saudi Arabia to help intercept missiles and drones fired by Yemen’s Iran-backed Houthi rebels, while ruling out offensive strikes against the group, the UK government said on Tuesday.
Defence Secretary Wes Streeting said the fighter jets would conduct defensive counter-air operations to protect Saudi cities, civilian populations and critical national infrastructure from aerial attacks.
The deployment follows a request from the Saudi government for additional military assistance as Houthi attacks on the oil-rich kingdom intensify. Britain will also send a military transport aircraft and an unspecified number of military advisers to Saudi Arabia.
Streeting said the British aircraft would seek to intercept incoming missiles and drones but would not strike Houthi targets on the ground.
“The continuing attacks from the Houthis on our ally Saudi Arabia are absolutely despicable,” Streeting said in a statement, pointing to attacks on Riyadh’s airport as evidence of the escalating regional threat.
He added that the UK had approved further military support, with RAF Typhoons set to fly defensive air missions to protect Saudi airspace.
UK expands military support for Saudi Arabia
The latest announcement builds on Britain’s earlier decision to provide air-to-air refuelling support for Saudi aircraft operating against the Houthis. According to Streeting, that mission will be extended by another 90 days.
The UK will also deploy an Atlas A400M military transport aircraft and military advisers, broadening its support beyond the refuelling assistance announced previously.
The expanded deployment comes as Saudi Arabia seeks greater help from its allies to defend against missile and drone attacks. Riyadh reportedly had approached several countries, including France, Britain, Pakistan and Egypt, seeking air-defence support.
Britain has stressed that its involvement is intended to help Saudi Arabia defend itself rather than widen the conflict.
Prime Minister Andy Burnham’s spokesman, Tom Wells, denied that Britain was being drawn into the fighting.
“Our support for Saudi Arabia is considered, proportionate and focused on helping them defend themselves from relentless Houthi attacks,” Wells said.
Britain says there is no military solution to Yemen conflict
Despite the expanded military assistance, the UK government has reiterated that military action alone cannot deliver a lasting settlement in Yemen.
In a written statement to Parliament, Streeting said the government remained convinced that there was “no long-term military solution to the conflict in Yemen”.
He said Britain continued to support a United Nations-led political process as the best route to a durable peace.
The conflict between Yemen’s Houthis and the Saudi-backed government has escalated again, with the rebels targeting Saudi Arabia with missiles and drones. Riyadh’s main international airport was reportedly struck several times earlier this month.
The renewed violence raises concerns over the security of Saudi Arabia’s civilian infrastructure and the potential implications for regional stability and energy supplies.
Egypt also announces military support for Saudi Arabia
Egypt has separately announced assistance for Saudi Arabia, pledging to provide “all possible forms of support” to help the kingdom defend its security and stability.
A regional official briefed on the matter said Egypt would deploy air-defence systems and aircraft to intercept missiles and drones fired towards Saudi Arabia. The support would not include sending ground troops to Yemen, the official said, speaking on condition of anonymity because they were not authorised to brief reporters.
Egyptian President Abdel-Fattah el-Sissi said on Saturday that his government would take “any measure” necessary to defend Saudi Arabia. He also called for Parliament to convene to authorise the deployment of troops and military equipment.
Parliament held two days of deliberations and is scheduled to reconvene for a vote next week.
Yemen conflict: Background
Yemen descended into civil war in 2014 after the Houthis seized Sanaa, the capital, and large parts of the country’s north, forcing the internationally recognised government into exile.
A Saudi-led coalition intervened in 2015 to try to restore the government to power. The ensuing conflict caused a major humanitarian crisis and killed more than 150,000 people.