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British Prime Minister Andy Burnham has agreed to provide military support to Saudi Arabia to help defend the country against attacks by Iran-backed Houthi rebels, according to media reports.
The UK is expected to deploy Voyager tanker aircraft to provide defensive air-to-air refuelling for Saudi jets, with the operation set to begin within days.
According to the reports, the British mission will only support Saudi aircraft involved in defending the country against drone and missile attacks and will not assist offensive strikes against the Houthis.
The refuelling operation is expected to be time-limited and could last for several weeks.
It will supplement the UK’s Sky Sabre air defence system, which is already deployed in Saudi Arabia.
Burnham said the decision was aimed at protecting British interests and supporting security in the wider region, particularly as Saudi Arabia faces ongoing attacks and the risk of further disruption to key routes.
A Houthi strike on Riyadh on Saturday marked the first attack on the Saudi capital in years and represented a significant escalation.
Earlier this month, the Houthis, who control much of Yemen’s populated territory, launched a rapid offensive aimed at taking control of the country’s entire Red Sea coastline.
Such control would give the group influence over the Bab al-Mandab strait, a strategically important waterway.
Saudi Arabia has led a coalition supporting Yemen’s internationally recognised government since 2015. Its intervention intensified the conflict, which has contributed to one of the world’s worst humanitarian crises in Yemen.
