Britain to deploy Typhoon jets for defensive missions over Saudi Arabia
Britain says RAF Typhoons will help defend Saudi Arabia against Houthi drones and missiles, alongside a transport aircraft and military advisers.
Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. Britain plans to send Royal Air Force Typhoon jets to defend Saudi cities and vital infrastructure against aerial attacks by the Houthis, its Ministry of Defence announced on Tuesday. The deployment follows a request by the Saudi government.
Defensive role only
The ministry said the fighters would carry out defensive operations exclusively, without launching offensive attacks on the Iran-aligned Houthis.
Defence minister Wes Streeting said he had authorised additional British military assistance, with RAF Typhoons tasked with protecting Saudi airspace against missiles and drones. He strongly condemned the continuing Houthi attacks on Britain’s ally, saying the targeting of Riyadh’s airport demonstrated how far the group was prepared to go in escalating regional tensions.
Britain said the Houthi attacks endangered stability across the region and could disrupt energy supplies and trading routes.
Expanded military assistance
The package will also include military advisers and an Atlas A400M aircraft for transport duties. It builds on assistance unveiled in September, when Britain announced an RAF Voyager aircraft for in-flight refuelling but did not include fighter jets.
Earlier this month, Prime Minister Andy Burnham said Britain was willing to consider the Saudi government’s request for support.
Attacks intensify amid Yemen conflict
Houthi strikes targeting Saudi oil installations and other infrastructure have increased in recent weeks alongside an escalation of the conflict in Yemen.
Authorities in Yemen said 58 people died on Monday when a Houthi attack hit a camp used to train security forces serving the Saudi-backed government.
This news item was generated automatically by Cyprus Inform from publicly available materials. Report an error →