U.K. to give Saudi Arabia defensive refueling support to counter Houthis

U.K. Prime Minister Andy Burnham. Burham's decision to support the Saudi campaign against the Houthis represents one of his first significant military decisions since becoming British prime minister in July. | Bloomberg

Bloomberg

Sep 22, 2026

The U.K. has agreed to support Saudi Arabia’s military in countering the Houthis, as the kingdom comes under frequent attack from the Iran-backed militants.

“We have received a request from the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia for military support, and on the advice of the defense secretary and the foreign secretary, last night I agreed to that request for defensive air-to-air refueling,” Prime Minister Andy Burnham told reporters while traveling to the U.N. General Assembly in New York.

The decision to support the Saudi military campaign represents one of Burnham’s first significant military decisions since becoming prime minister in July. Refueling of Saudi jets on missions that the U.K. considers defensive will begin in the coming days, and the operation is expected to last weeks.

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