British Prime Minister Andy Burnham authorises limited, time-bound RAF support after Riyadh requests help to defend against missile and drone strikes.
The United Kingdom has agreed to provide limited military assistance to Saudi Arabia in the form of air-to-air refuelling for Saudi aircraft, as attacks by Yemen’s Houthi movement on the kingdom intensify, British Prime Minister Andy Burnham has announced.
Speaking to reporters on Monday while flying to New York for the United Nations General Assembly, Burnham said he had approved a formal request from Riyadh for “defensive air-to-air refuelling.” The decision was taken on the advice of the defence secretary and the foreign secretary and marks the first military deployment authorised by Burnham since he took office.
“We have received a request from the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia for military support, and on the advice of the defence secretary and the foreign secretary, last night I agreed to that request for defensive air-to-air refuelling,” Burnham said. He described the arrangement as “time-limited” and subject to ongoing review.
UK to Support Saudi Air Defence:
British officials said the support would involve a single Royal Air Force Voyager tanker aircraft and is expected to begin in the coming days. The mission will be restricted to assisting Saudi planes conducting defensive operations against incoming drones and missiles. It will not extend to supporting offensive strikes against Houthi positions inside Yemen.
The deployment comes as the conflict between the Houthis, who control large parts of Yemen including the capital Sanaa, and the internationally recognised Yemeni government backed by Saudi Arabia has flared again in recent weeks. Houthi forces have launched missile and drone attacks on Saudi territory, including a strike targeting the capital Riyadh on Saturday that was intercepted. The group has also declared a blockade on Saudi-linked shipping in the Red Sea and the strategic Bab al-Mandab Strait, and has targeted energy infrastructure along the kingdom’s Red Sea coast.
Burnham framed the decision as necessary to protect both British and regional interests, particularly the free flow of energy supplies. “Saudi Arabia has been experiencing attack… and we need to keep those pathways open,” he said, referring to critical maritime routes used for oil exports.
UK Expands Military Support to Saudi Arabia:
The new refuelling mission is additional to existing British support already in place in Saudi Arabia, including the deployment of the Sky Sabre air defence system earlier this year to help protect against missile threats during the wider regional conflict involving Iran.
Britain and Saudi Arabia have long maintained close military ties, with the UK remaining one of the kingdom’s major arms suppliers. Officials in London emphasised that the latest assistance is narrowly focused and temporary, likely lasting a matter of weeks rather than months.
The move comes against a backdrop of heightened regional tension, with Houthi advances near key shipping lanes raising concerns about further disruption to global energy markets and trade routes that connect the Gulf to the Red Sea and beyond.