UK to refuel Saudi jets amid conflict with Yemen's Houthis

British Prime Minister Andrew Burnham has pledged limited military assistance to Saudi Arabia as the nation continues to face assaults from Yemen's Houthi rebels. The Royal Air Force (RAF) will offer protective air-to-air refueling for Saudi aircraft, Burnham disclosed on Monday while en route to New York for the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA).

The prime minister stated that the UK had received a request for military aid from Saudi Arabia, emphasizing that the decision aims to safeguard the interests of both Britain and the broader region, given Saudi Arabia's ongoing attacks and potential for further disruption to oil supply routes. Reports suggest that the agreement, expected to commence within days, will be time-limited and could last for several weeks.

The mission will utilize the RAF's Voyager tanker and complements the existing Sky Sabre air defense system currently stationed in Saudi Arabia. The UK's involvement will focus on aiding Saudi jets in defending against drone and missile attacks, rather than engaging in strikes against the Iran-backed Houthi rebels. Since 2015, Saudi Arabia has led a military coalition supporting Yemen's internationally recognized government in its conflict against the Houthis.

In July, a 2022 truce between the rebels and Saudi Arabia collapsed after the Houthis allowed an Iranian aircraft to land in Yemen's capital, Sanaa, defying Saudi control over Yemeni airspace. On Saturday, a Houthi attack on Riyadh marked the first such assault on the Saudi capital in years. The Houthis have also imposed a blockade on Saudi shipping in the Bab el-Mandeb Strait and the Red Sea, targeting oil facilities within Saudi Arabia, one of the world's leading oil exporters.

G7 foreign ministers denounced Houthi attacks in Yemen and against Saudi Arabia and urged Iran to cease supporting the rebels, including arming them. They called for the Houthis to immediately cease all military actions, threats, and attacks against civilian shipping and return to the political process in good faith.