Yemenupdated 54m ago2 min read
UK Deploys RAF Typhoon Jets To Defend Saudi Arabia From Houthi Missile And Drone Attacks
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UK to deploy RAF Typhoon jets to defend Saudi Arabia from Houthi attacks. Missions will be defensive counter-air, not offensive strikes.
11 outlets told this the same way.
Outlets did split on Saudi Warplanes Launch 110 Strikes on Sana’a, Yemen Monitor Says, Killing Over 30 →
UK jets for Saudi defense
The United Kingdom said it would deploy RAF Typhoon jets to defend Saudi Arabia against Houthi missile and drone attacks, with the defensive mission authorized by Prime Minister Andy Burnham. Defence Secretary Wes Streeting said in a written statement that "These aircraft will operate in a defensive role and will not conduct offensive strikes against the Houthis." The UK move followed Houthi drone and ballistic missile attacks on Riyadh, including strikes on Riyadh's King Khalid International Airport on 10 and 11 October, with the first killing 13 people and injuring 308 others.
The UK also said it would deploy military advisers and an RAF A400M transport aircraft, and it said air-to-air refuelling for defensive Saudi operations had been extended by 90 days. The Houthis are locked in a civil war with Yemen's internationally recognised government, backed by Saudi Arabia, and the group said it was behind two strikes on Riyadh's King Khalid International Airport on 10 and 11 October.
Riyadh airport escalation
Wes Streeting told reporters that the targeting of Riyadh airport "shows the lengths the Houthis are going to escalate the situation in the region," and he said he approved further UK military support. The Ministry of Defence said the UK would fly "defensive counter-air missions" using Royal Air Force Typhoon fighter jets to protect Saudi cities and critical infrastructure. The additional support followed a request from Saudi Arabia's government, and Britain would also deploy an Atlas A400M transport aircraft and military advisers.
Houthi attacks against Saudi oil facilities and other infrastructure intensified in recent weeks as the conflict in Yemen escalated. Inside Yemen, Reuters said authorities reported that a Houthi strike on Monday against a training camp for Saudi-backed government security forces killed 58 people and wounded more than 200 others.
What the deployment changes
The UK said its Typhoon missions would help protect Saudi airspace from drones and missiles, and it said the aircraft would not conduct offensive strikes against the Iran-aligned Houthis. The Houthis said they were behind two strikes on Riyadh's King Khalid International Airport on 10 and 11 October, and the first killing 13 people and injuring 308 others. Britain was already providing Saudi Arabia with defence support equipment to protect against aerial attacks and air-to-air refuelling for defensive Saudi operations, and the refuelling had been extended by 90 days.
The UK defensive mission would help defend Saudi cities and infrastructure against aerial attacks, while the UK government framed the step as additional defensive military support. In Yemen, Reuters reported that authorities said a Houthi strike on Monday against a training camp for Saudi-backed government security forces killed 58 people, underscoring how the Yemen conflict intersects with the UK and Saudi defensive posture.