UK to deploy jets to defend Saudi Arabia from Houthi attacks
The UK will deploy RAF Typhoon jets to defend Saudi Arabia in response to escalating Houthi missile and drone attacks, the government has said. The defensive mission will help defend Saudi cities and infrastructure – a move authorised by Prime Minister Andy Burnham – against aerial attacks by the Iran-backed group. It follows Houthi attacks […] The post UK to deploy jets to defend Saudi Arabia…
The United Kingdom plans to deploy RAF Typhoon jets to safeguard Saudi Arabia from escalating Houthi missile and drone attacks, according to the government. Prime Minister Andy Burnham has authorized this defensive mission aimed at protecting Saudi cities and infrastructure. The move comes in response to Houthi attacks on the Saudi capital, Riyadh, as well as on energy sites along the country's coast.
Defence Secretary Wes Streeting stated that the RAF Typhoon jets will operate in a strictly defensive capacity and will not engage in offensive strikes against the Houthis. The Houthis are currently engaged in a civil war with Yemen's internationally recognized government, which is supported by Saudi Arabia. The group ousted the government from its capital, Sanaa, in 2014.
Since September, Saudi Arabia has been grappling with the challenge of defending its airspace from Houthi attacks following the breakdown of a ceasefire in Yemen. The Houthis launched a renewed offensive against Yemen's recognized government, seizing control of the crucial Bab al Mandab strait. In response, government forces backed by Saudi air cover conducted a counter-offensive.
The Houthis successfully targeted Saudi infrastructure, including the King Khalid airport, energy facilities, and key ports, resulting in the deaths of 19 people, according to Saudi authorities.
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