Andy Burnham says UK to provide Saudi Arabia with 'defensive' support

Key Points:

• The UK will provide "defensive air-to-air refuelling" support to Saudi Arabia amid attacks by Iran-backed Houthi militants in Yemen, likely starting within days using a single Voyager aircraft based at RAF Akrotiri in Cyprus.
• This military support follows a request from Saudi Arabia and was approved by Prime Minister Andy Burnham on the advice of Defence Secretary Wes Streeting and Foreign Secretary Ed Miliband, with the operation expected to be time-limited, lasting weeks initially.
• The Houthis have recently launched drone and missile attacks on Riyadh and energy sites along Saudi Arabia's Red Sea coast, while also seizing strategic locations such as the port city of Mokha and Perim Island, threatening key shipping routes.
• UK officials describe the support as defensive, aimed at assisting Saudi jets in intercepting incoming Houthi missiles and drones, and Burnham linked the decision to broader concerns about cost-of-living pressures and regional stability.
• NATO and European allies are reportedly considering support for Saudi Arabia, with the UK having previously participated in air strikes against Houthi targets in Yemen in January 2024, citing self-defence after attacks on ships including a Royal Navy vessel.