UK to Deploy Typhoon Jets to Defend Saudi Arabia Against Houthi Attacks

Britain will fly Royal Air Force Typhoon fighter jets on defensive missions to help protect Saudi cities and critical national infrastructure from Houthi aerial attacks, the Ministry of Defence announced Tuesday.

The deployment aims to counter escalating attacks by the Iran-aligned Houthi group, which Britain states threaten regional stability and could disrupt energy supplies and trade routes.

"The continuing attacks from the Houthis on our ally Saudi Arabia are absolutely despicable. The targeting of the airport in Riyadh in particular shows the lengths the Houthis are going to escalate the situation in the region," said Defense Minister Wes Streeting.

The additional support follows a request from the Saudi Arabian government and expands assistance previously announced in September, which included an RAF Voyager air-to-air refueling aircraft but not fighter jets. Britain will also deploy an Atlas A400M transport aircraft and military advisers.

Houthi attacks targeting Saudi oil facilities and other infrastructure have intensified in recent weeks amidst an escalation of the conflict in Yemen. On Monday, a Houthi strike on a training camp for Saudi-backed government security forces reportedly killed 58 people, according to authorities inside Yemen.