UK to send Typhoon fighters to safeguard Saudi airspace from Houthi strikes

The United Kingdom announced on Tuesday that it will deploy RAF Typhoon jets to help protect Saudi Arabia from attacks launched by Yemen’s Houthi movement. In a statement, the Ministry of Defence said the aircraft will operate only in a defensive capacity, conducting counter‑air missions to shield Saudi cities and critical infrastructure from aerial threats. The deployment also includes an extension of air‑to‑air refuelling support for Saudi air operations.

The move comes as fighting intensifies between the Iran‑backed Houthis, also known as Ansar Allah, and Yemen’s internationally recognised government, which receives backing from Saudi Arabia. In recent weeks the Houthis have carried out missile and drone attacks on Saudi oil facilities and on Riyadh’s main airport, while the Saudi‑led coalition has responded with air strikes on Houthi positions.

UK Defence Secretary Wes Streeting condemned the Houthi attacks, calling them “absolutely despicable” and highlighting the targeting of Riyadh’s airport as evidence of the group’s escalation. He said the decision to approve further British military support was intended to protect Saudi airspace from drones and missiles and builds on the equipment and personnel already stationed in the kingdom.

Al Jazeera’s Camille Nedelec, reporting from London, said the UK’s action was also motivated by concerns over rising energy prices, noting that developments in the Gulf have a direct impact on households. She described the deployment as a sign of the United Kingdom’s growing engagement in the region.

The announcement arrived one day after Egypt’s parliament postponed for a second consecutive day a vote on President Abdel Fattah el‑Sisi’s request to authorize military assistance to Saudi Arabia, should the kingdom ask for it. State media reported that a new parliamentary session on the issue is scheduled for 26 October.