Britain will fly Royal Air Force Typhoon fighter jets on defensive missions to help protect Saudi cities and critical national infrastructure from Houthi air attacks, the British Ministry of Defense announced on Tuesday.
The ministry said the aircraft would operate only in a defensive role and would not carry out offensive strikes against the Iran-aligned Houthis, whose attacks Britain says threaten regional stability and risk disrupting energy supplies and trade routes.
“The Houthis’ continued attacks on our ally Saudi Arabia are absolutely despicable. The targeting of Riyadh airport in particular shows how far the Houthis will escalate the situation in the region,” British Defense Minister Wes Streeting said in a statement.
“That is why I have today approved additional military support from the United Kingdom,” he said. “RAF Typhoons will fly defensive air missions to help protect Saudi airspace from drones and missiles.”
The additional support follows a request from the Saudi government, which British Prime Minister Andy Burnham said Britain was prepared to consider earlier this month.
Britain will also deploy an Atlas A400M transport plane and military advisers, expanding aid announced in September, which included an RAF Voyager air refueling plane but no fighter jets.
Houthi attacks on Saudi oil installations and other infrastructure have intensified in recent weeks as the conflict in Yemen has intensified.
In Yemen, authorities said a Houthi strike Monday on a training camp for Saudi-backed government security forces killed 58 people.
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