The United Kingdom has announced plans to deploy Royal Air Force (RAF) Typhoon fighter jets to defend Saudi Arabia against intensifying missile and drone attacks by Yemen’s Iran-aligned Houthi rebels.
According to the UK Ministry of Defence, the fighter jets will conduct “defensive counter-air missions” aimed at protecting Saudi cities and critical infrastructure from further attacks.
The deployment comes amid a recent escalation in Houthi assaults on the kingdom, with ballistic missiles and drones reportedly targeting strategic facilities, including oil installations and airports.
The UK is already supporting Saudi Arabia’s defence efforts through air-to-air refuelling operations, the provision of air defence equipment and the deployment of British personnel, a Downing Street spokesperson said.
The spokesperson stressed that the incoming Typhoon jets would focus on intercepting missiles and drones heading towards Saudi Arabia and would not carry out offensive strikes inside Yemen.
The latest escalation follows the Houthis’ announcement in July that they would target Saudi shipping in the Red Sea and infrastructure within the kingdom after Saudi Arabia attacked an airport in the Houthi-controlled Yemeni capital, Sana’a.
In recent weeks, the rebels have intensified their attacks, including repeated strikes targeting Riyadh’s King Khalid International Airport. One reported attack killed 13 people and injured more than 300, making it the deadliest assault on Saudi Arabia in more than a decade, according to the report.
UK Defence Secretary Wes Streeting condemned the attacks, describing them as “absolutely despicable” and warning that the targeting of Riyadh’s airport demonstrated the Houthis’ determination to escalate tensions across the region.
The broader conflict has also intensified following a Houthi offensive along Yemen’s western coast last month. The rebels reportedly captured strategic territory, including areas around the Bab al-Mandeb maritime chokepoint, a vital passage linking the Red Sea with the Gulf of Aden.
The developments have raised concerns over the security of international shipping and the potential expansion of Iran’s regional influence along a major global trade route.
Meanwhile, Yemen’s internationally recognised government forces, backed by Saudi air power, have launched a counter-offensive to reclaim territory seized by the Houthis.
Despite sustained airstrikes and a major ground operation, the rebels have continued to hold key positions and launch missile and drone attacks against their adversaries.
The UK’s planned deployment of Typhoon fighter jets signals an expanded defensive role in support of Saudi Arabia as regional tensions rise and concerns grow over the security of critical infrastructure and maritime trade routes.
Credit:CNN
