UK to give ‘defensive’ support to Saudi Arabia against Houthis: Why Britain is stepping in as US holds back

Britain will provide limited defensive military support to Saudi Arabia amid intensified Houthi missile and drone attacks. The RAF is expected to deploy a Voyager aircraft for air-to-air refuelling, while the UK says the mission will help protect regional energy routes.

Britain has agreed to provide limited ‘defensive’ military support to Saudi Arabia as the kingdom faces an intensifying wave of missile and drone attacks by Iran-backed Houthi rebels in Yemen, the BBC reported.

British Prime Minister Andy Burnham said the Royal Air Force (RAF) will provide defensive air-to-air refuelling for Saudi aircraft under a time-limited arrangement expected to begin in the coming days, according to the BBC.

He said the mission will involve a single RAF Voyager aircraft and is initially expected to last several weeks, although the UK government will keep the deployment under review.

Why Britain is stepping in

The British prime minister said the move was aimed at protecting Britain's interests and helping keep vital regional energy routes open.

He reportedly said the UK had received a formal request from Saudi Arabia and that he approved it after taking advice from the British defence and foreign secretaries.

The decision follows a sharp escalation in fighting between the Houthis and Yemen's Saudi-backed government.

The Houthis have stepped up missile and drone attacks against Saudi Arabia, including an attack targeting Riyadh that was intercepted on Saturday.

The Houthis have also expanded their position inside Yemen, including taking control of the port city of Mocha and key Red Sea islands, according to The Guardian.

These positions give the group greater ability to monitor shipping around the Bab el-Mandeb Strait, a crucial maritime chokepoint through which roughly 12% of global trade normally passes.

According to AP, one RAF Voyager aircraft is expected to be deployed in the coming days.

The UK has also previously deployed its Sky Sabre air-defence system to Saudi Arabia to help protect the kingdom against missile threats, the AP report said.

The British move comes against the backdrop of a different approach from Washington.

The United States has previously carried out military strikes against the Houthis under both the Biden and Trump administrations.

But amid the latest escalation, Washington has so far refrained from launching a new direct military campaign against the group in response to Saudi Arabia's requests.

According to a New York Times report cited in media coverage, US President Donald Trump considered strikes against Houthi positions after Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman appealed for American intervention, but ultimately decided against the action amid concerns about further escalation.

Saudi Arabia has been seeking additional air-defence support from its partners as Houthi attacks intensify.

The Associated Press reported that Riyadh had asked countries including France, Britain, Pakistan and Egypt to deploy air-defence capabilities to help protect the kingdom from missiles and drones fired by the Houthis and other Iran-backed groups.

The escalation also threatens one of the world's key maritime trade routes.

The Bab el-Mandeb connects the Red Sea with the Gulf of Aden and is a major gateway for ships travelling between Europe and Asia through the Suez Canal.

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