Britain plans to deploy Royal Air Force (RAF) Typhoon fighter jets to help defend Saudi Arabia against escalating attacks by Yemen's Iran-backed Houthi rebels, Bloomberg reported Tuesday, citing British officials familiar with the plans.
The aircraft will conduct defensive missions to protect Saudi cities and critical infrastructure from aerial attacks, according to the report. Britain is also expected to provide an Atlas A400M military transport aircraft and military advisers to support the operation.
UK Prime Minister Andy Burnham
(Photo: AP Photo/Kirsty Wigglesworth)
Britain's Ministry of Defence did not immediately respond to a request for comment on the reported deployment.
The move would represent a significant expansion of British military assistance to Saudi Arabia. In September, London announced additional defensive support for the kingdom following renewed Houthi attacks, including the deployment of an RAF Voyager air-to-air refueling aircraft.
That earlier commitment did not include fighter jets. The British government said at the time that the assistance was intended to strengthen Saudi defenses and help protect regional stability amid growing threats to energy supplies and international trade.
The reported deployment comes as Houthi attacks against Saudi Arabia and Yemeni government forces have intensified in recent weeks, with missiles and drones targeting airports, energy infrastructure and military facilities.
On Monday, Yemeni authorities reported that 58 people had been killed in a Houthi missile strike on a government security forces training camp in Shabwa province, southern Yemen. More than 200 others were wounded in the attack, according to local officials.
The escalating violence has heightened concerns over regional security and increased pressure on Saudi Arabia and its international partners to strengthen defenses against further missile and drone attacks.