UK's Burnham agrees to Saudi request for refuelling support

British Prime Minister Andy Burnham has committed to providing military assistance to Saudi Arabia in their ongoing struggle against attacks from the Iran-backed Houthis, according to media reports. The support will involve British planes offering defensive air-to-air refuelling for Saudi jets, as Burnham announced during a trip to the United Nations General Assembly in New York.

The UK's involvement will focus on protecting Saudi aircraft from drone and missile attacks, rather than launching counter-strikes against the Houthis, as reported by the PA news agency.

The deployment of the Voyager tanker is anticipated to commence within days, and the mission is expected to be of a limited duration, potentially lasting for several weeks. This additional refuelling mission complements the UK's already stationed Sky Sabre air defence system in Saudi Arabia. Burnham stated that these actions are taken to safeguard the interests of both Britain and the broader region.

The Saudi Arabian government has been experiencing attacks, and there is a risk of further disruption, hence the need to maintain open pathways, according to Burnham's reasoning shared by the reports.

A Houthi attack on Riyadh took place on Saturday, marking the first such assault on the Saudi capital in years. This event represents a significant escalation in the conflict. Throughout the month, the Houthis, who have controlled most of Yemen's populated regions, initiated a rapid offensive to seize the entire Red Sea coast, thereby gaining control over the crucial Bab al-Mandab Strait.

Saudi Arabia has been leading a coalition in support of the internationally recognised government in Yemen since 2015. This intervention has exacerbated the war, leading to one of the world's most severe humanitarian crises in the impoverished nation.