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The United Kingdom will provide Saudi Arabia with limited defensive military support after attacks by Iran-backed Houthi forces in Yemen, Prime Minister Andy Burnham said, according to the BBC.
The support is expected to begin in the coming days and will initially involve a single British Voyager aircraft operating from RAF Akrotiri in Cyprus.
Burnham said the decision followed a request from Saudi Arabia for military assistance, which he approved on the advice of Defence Secretary Wes Streeting and Foreign Secretary Ed Miliband. Government officials described the offer as time-limited and said it would probably last several weeks in the first instance.
What support will the UK provide?
British officials said the defensive mission would help Saudi air force jets intercept incoming Houthi missiles and drones. The Houthis have recently claimed responsibility for drone and ballistic missile attacks targeting the Saudi capital, Riyadh, and energy facilities along the Red Sea coast.
The Houthis are fighting Yemen’s internationally recognised government, which is backed by Saudi Arabia. The group recently seized the strategic port city of Mokha and Perim Island, which lies at the entrance to the Red Sea.
Speaking to reporters travelling with him to the United Nations General Assembly in New York, Burnham said the measure was intended to protect Britain’s interests and maintain the security of regional trade routes.
“Saudi Arabia has been experiencing attacks, is looking at potential further disruption, and we need to keep those pathways open,” Burnham said.
Red Sea shipping routes
Shipping routes through the Red Sea are a major artery of the global economy. The latest Houthi attacks have raised concerns about further disruption to commercial shipping and energy supplies.
NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte suggested in a BBC interview last week that European countries could provide support to Saudi Arabia. He said he would not be surprised if European allies were discussing how to respond, adding that NATO would help if requested.
Energy Minister Martin McCluskey told British MPs last week that the UK was providing air-defence support to Saudi Arabia under the two countries’ defence partnership, but declined to comment on specific military operations.
Previous UK strikes in Yemen
In January 2024, the UK joined the United States in air strikes against Houthi targets in Yemen. Then-Prime Minister Rishi Sunak said the action was carried out in self-defence after Houthi attacks on ships, including a Royal Navy vessel.
Sunak described the strikes as necessary, proportionate and targeted to protect lives and commercial shipping. Further joint UK-US air strikes followed later in 2024.
