Britain Announces Defensive Military Support for Saudi Arabia Against Houthi Attacks
On Tuesday, Britain announced "defensive" military support for the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia in response to attacks launched by the Houthis on Saudi territory.
British Prime Minister Andy Burnham stated, according to the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC), that the support will include aerial refueling to assist the Saudi Air Force in countering missiles and drones launched by the Houthis from Yemen.
The support is expected to begin in the coming days, using a single British "Voyager" aircraft stationed at the Royal Air Force base in Akrotiri, Cyprus.
Burnham explained that the decision was made in response to a Saudi request for "military support," noting that the approval was based on a recommendation from Defence Secretary Wes Streeting and Foreign Secretary Ed Miliband.
British officials stated that the support will be "limited in duration," likely lasting for several weeks in its initial phase.
The British move comes amid escalating Houthi attacks on Saudi Arabia, as the Houthis have announced in recent days that they have carried out attacks with ballistic missiles and drones targeting the capital, Riyadh, and energy sites on the Red Sea coast.
The escalation is linked to the rapid military developments in Yemen, where the Houthis are engaged in confrontations with government forces backed by Saudi Arabia, coinciding with rising tensions in the Red Sea and the Bab al-Mandab strait.
Burnham pointed to the importance of protecting shipping lanes in the region, as the Red Sea is a major global shipping route, stressing that maintaining regional stability and keeping trade routes open are part of the motivations for the British decision.
In January 2024, Britain had participated with the United States in carrying out airstrikes against Houthi sites in Yemen, following the group's attacks on commercial ships in the Red Sea.
The British Prime Minister at the time, Rishi Sunak, said the strikes were part of "self-defense," aimed at protecting lives and commercial shipping.
المصدر: BBC
