The United Kingdom will provide “defensive air-to-air refuelling” support to Saudi Arabia amid ongoing attacks by Iran-backed Houthis in Yemen.
The military operation is expected to begin in the coming days and will involve a single Royal Air Force (RAF) Voyager aircraft based at RAF Akrotiri in Cyprus, reports BBC.
UK Prime Minister Andy Burnham approved the deployment following a request from Saudi Arabia, on the advice of Defence Secretary Wes Streeting and Foreign Secretary Ed Miliband. The mission is expected to be time-limited.
Speaking to reporters while travelling to the United Nations General Assembly in New York, Burnham said the decision was linked to protecting British national interests and addressing cost-of-living pressures.
He stressed the importance of keeping Red Sea trade routes open, describing them as a vital artery for the global economy, following the Houthis’ seizure of the strategic port city of Mokha and Perim Island.
“I go back to the point I made about cost-of-living pressures and acting to secure the interests of Britain and the wider region,” Burnham said.
“Because of course Saudi Arabia has been experiencing attacks, is looking at potential further disruption, and we need to keep those pathways open, and hence our agreement to the request.”
The Voyager being deployed is part of the RAF’s core fleet of nine aircraft, comprising eight military-registered and one civilian-registered aircraft. Five additional aircraft are also available for military recall if required.
While the UK’s contribution is limited in scale, analysts have noted that even limited deployments can carry risks of broader, long-term involvement.
The announcement comes amid wider international discussions over regional defence. NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte said in a BBC interview that European allies were likely to offer support and that NATO stood ready to assist if called upon.
Energy Minister Martin McCluskey told MPs last week that the UK was providing air defence support through its existing defence partnership with Saudi Arabia, although he declined to comment on operational military activity.
The mission follows joint military action by the UK and US in January 2024, when the two countries launched air strikes against Houthi targets across Yemen.
At the time, then-UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak described the strikes as “necessary, proportionate, and targeted” self-defence following Houthi attacks on commercial shipping and a Royal Navy warship.
Further joint UK-US air strikes were carried out later in 2024.
