London: The United Kingdom (UK) will provide Saudi Arabia with defensive air to air refuelling support following a series of Houthi missile and drone attacks, Prime Minister Andy Burnham has announced.
Burnham said he approved the Saudi request after consulting the British defence and foreign secretaries. He described the deployment as a limited measure intended to support regional stability and protect important energy and transport routes.
British officials said one Royal Air Force Voyager tanker aircraft would refuel Saudi planes involved in defensive missions. The operation is expected to begin within days and initially continue for several weeks, although its duration could be extended.
The aircraft is expected to operate from a British base in Cyprus. Aerial refuelling allows military aircraft to remain in the air longer and travel farther without returning to an airbase.
The Voyager will not itself conduct air strikes. However, refuelling represents direct operational support because it can extend the reach and endurance of Saudi aircraft.
The decision follows Houthi attacks targeting Riyadh and energy facilities along Saudi Arabia’s Red Sea coast. Saudi authorities say their air defences have intercepted several missiles and drones, although some attacks have caused casualties and disrupted infrastructure.
The Houthi group says its operations are directed against Saudi military and economic targets. It has also increased its territorial control along Yemen’s western coast and threatened shipping near the Bab al Mandab Strait, an important route linking the Red Sea with the Gulf of Aden.
Saudi Arabia has responded with air strikes inside Yemen. Houthi affiliated media have reported civilian casualties in some attacks, but several claims from both sides remain difficult to verify independently.
Burnham said Britain wanted the conflict to end quickly but argued that Saudi Arabia required defensive assistance while facing attacks. He also linked the decision to the need to keep international energy routes open.
The deployment represents a limited British intervention rather than a formal entry into the Yemen war. Nevertheless, it increases Britain’s operational role and may raise questions about how Saudi aircraft use the assistance.
Renewed fighting has reportedly killed or wounded hundreds and displaced nearly 130000 people, adding pressure to Yemen’s already severe humanitarian crisis.
