Britain will deploy Royal Air Force (RAF) Typhoon fighter jets to defend Saudi Arabia against escalating Houthi missile and drone attacks, as strikes on airports and energy infrastructure raise fears of a wider regional conflict.
The UK Ministry of Defence announced on 20 October that the aircraft would conduct defensive air missions to protect Saudi cities and critical infrastructure.
The deployment also includes an RAF A400M Atlas transport aircraft, military advisers and an extension of British air-to-air refuelling support.
Defence Secretary Wes Streeting condemned the attacks against Britain’s ally, describing them as “absolutely despicable”.
“RAF Typhoons will fly defensive air missions to help protect Saudi airspace from drones and missiles,” Streeting said in the ministry’s statement.
London said the newly deployed fighters would not conduct offensive strikes against the Houthis, the Iran-aligned armed group controlling much of northern Yemen. The number of aircraft and their operating base have not been disclosed.
However, Britain’s wider military assistance extends beyond the fighters’ defensive mission. Following a Saudi request in September, Britain agreed to provide an RAF Voyager tanker for air-to-air refuelling, with the latest announcement extending that support for another 90 days.
The ministry said refuelling assistance would support Saudi defensive operations and missions intended to degrade Houthi military targets threatening Saudi and Yemeni people.
The distinction highlights the complexity of Britain’s involvement, as its broader support could facilitate operations against Houthi military capabilities.
The escalation intensified after an attack on King Fahd International Airport in Dammam, Saudi Arabia’s eastern oil hub near Dhahran.
Saudi Arabia’s General Authority of Civil Aviation and the Indian embassy in Riyadh confirmed on Thursday that three people had been killed, although the available reports identified only two victims: a Saudi citizen and an Indian national.
The Indian embassy confirmed that one Indian citizen died and two others were injured. Saudi aviation authorities reported eight injured people, with injuries ranging from minor to serious.
The airport has reopened, and flight operations have returned to normal, according to the civil aviation authority.
The attacks have disrupted international aviation, affecting passengers travelling through Saudi Arabia, including Bangladeshi migrant workers and other travellers.
Data from the Civil Aviation Authority of Bangladesh’s ASM Flight Management system showed that operational restrictions at Saudi airports had disrupted 135 direct and transit flights, affecting 20,672 passengers.
Of the affected services, 62 were direct flights and 73 transit flights operated by 11 airlines.
Biman Bangladesh Airlines recorded 23 disrupted direct flights, followed by Saudia with 19. US-Bangla Airlines and Riyadh Airways each reported 10 affected services.
Among transit flights, IndiGo recorded 28 disruptions, Emirates 14, Qatar Airways nine, flydubai eight, SalamAir seven, Air India six and EgyptAir one.
Biman has extended the indefinite suspension of its Riyadh-bound flights, citing passenger safety following attacks on Saudi airports in early October.
Security concerns have also spread to Saudi Arabia’s energy sector. Saudi state oil giant Aramco instructed staff to evacuate its headquarters in Dhahran and work remotely, according to six people familiar with the matter cited by Reuters on Wednesday.
The reason for the evacuation remained unclear, and the company did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Houthi military spokesman Yahya Saree claimed the group had attacked Aramco facilities in the Red Sea port city of Yanbu and Saudi Arabia’s Defence Ministry in Riyadh. Saudi authorities had not confirmed those claims.
The Saudi-led coalition said it intercepted drones over Riyadh and Medina on Thursday.
Brent crude futures climbed to $111.88 a barrel on Thursday, reaching their highest level since May as concerns grew over the conflict’s implications for oil supplies. Saudi Arabia’s benchmark stock index fell 2.5 per cent following reports of the Aramco evacuation, according to LSEG data.
The escalation has coincided with renewed fighting in Yemen, threatening the relative calm established by a United Nations-brokered truce in 2022.
On 19 October, a Houthi missile strike on a training camp in Shabwa province killed at least 53 soldiers and wounded more than 200 recruits, according to The Associated Press.
The Houthis have also claimed Saudi attacks killed or wounded hundreds in Yemen, figures that have not been independently verified.
Britain’s deployment reflects growing concern that continued attacks could threaten civilian infrastructure, international aviation, maritime trade and global energy supplies, increasing pressure for a response that protects Saudi Arabia without triggering a wider regional war.