LONDON – UK is deploying RAF Typhoon fighter jets to Saudi Arabia as escalating Houthi attacks raise fresh concerns over Kingdom’s security, critical infrastructure and regional stability.
British government took decision amid repeated attacks on Saudi territory, including the reported targeting of Riyadh’s international airport, intensified concerns over the safety of civilian populations, strategic installations and vital energy infrastructure.
Under expanded defence package, RAF Typhoon aircraft will conduct defensive counter-air missions to protect Saudi cities, civilians and critical national infrastructure from aerial threats. British officials have made it clear that the fighter jets will operate strictly in a defensive capacity and will not launch offensive strikes against Houthi positions.
The latest move also includes the deployment of an RAF A400M military transport aircraft to facilitate the movement of defence equipment within Saudi Arabia, alongside British military advisers tasked with assisting Saudi staff officers in defence coordination and operational planning.
Britain additionally extended its air-to-air refuelling support for Saudi defensive air operations by another 90 days, building on military assistance already provided to the kingdom.
UK Defence Minister Wes Streeting strongly condemned the continuing Houthi attacks, describing them as unacceptable and warning that the targeting of Riyadh’s international airport demonstrated the growing danger of further regional escalation.
Riyadh’s King Khalid International Airport has been targeted 20 times since the beginning of October. A recent attack reportedly killed 13 people and injured more than 300 others, highlighting the growing risks to civilian facilities and major transport infrastructure. The repeated strikes have intensified concerns about Saudi Arabia’s ability to protect its busiest transport hubs and strategically important installations from missiles and drones.
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British authorities said the additional military assistance would build on equipment and personnel already deployed in Saudi Arabia to help counter aerial threats.
The escalating confrontation has raised wider concerns over the security of energy infrastructure and international shipping routes.
Houthis targeted oil tankers and taken control of extensive stretches of Yemen’s Red Sea coastline, an area of strategic importance for maritime transportation and regional commerce. Instability around the Red Sea and the Bab al-Mandab Strait could disrupt shipping movements and threaten supply chains connecting international markets.
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