The UK is set to deploy RAF Typhoon jets and prolong its air-to-air refuelling mission by an additional 90 days.
Britain has expanded its military support for Saudi Arabia against Yemen’s Houthi rebels, deploying RAF Typhoon jets for defensive air patrols and extending its air-to-air refuelling mission by another 90 days, Defence Secretary Wes Streeting said Tuesday.According to the UK ministry of defence, the RAF Typhoons will conduct defensive counter-air operations over Saudi Arabia to protect cities, civilians and critical infrastructure from Houthi missile and drone attacks.Streeting said the British aircraft would not strike Houthi targets. Britain will also send a military transport aircraft and an unspecified number of military advisers to Saudi Arabia.According to The Associated Press, Britain had last month offered in-air refuelling support for Saudi aircraft operating against the Iran-backed Houthis.Britain maintains a military presence across the Middle East, including RAF facilities in Cyprus and Qatar and naval facilities in Bahrain. These assets support British air and maritime operations across the region.The Eurofighter Typhoon is a twin-engine, multirole combat aircraft developed by a European consortium involving the UK, Germany, Italy and Spain.Designed primarily for air superiority, it can also perform ground-attack, reconnaissance and air-defence missions.
The aircraft is operated by the Royal Air Force and several other European and Middle Eastern air forces.Its combination of high manoeuvrability, advanced avionics and supersonic speed makes it a key component of the RAF's combat fleet.The move comes amid a renewed escalation in Yemen’s conflict, with Iran-backed Houthi rebels stepping up missile and drone attacks against Saudi Arabia, which backs Yemen’s internationally recognised government. According to The Associated Press, the latest British deployment is aimed at strengthening Saudi Arabia’s defences against these aerial threats.