UK says it will carry out defensive air missions over Saudi Arabia

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 said on Tuesday.

The ministry said the aircraft would operate only in a defensive role and would not conduct offensive strikes against the Iran-aligned Houthis, whose attacks Britain says threaten regional stability and risk disrupting 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," defence minister Wes Streeting said in a statement.

"That’s why today I have approved further UK military support. RAF Typhoons will fly defensive air missions to help protect Saudi airspace from drones and missiles."

The additional support follows a request from Saudi Arabia's government, which Prime Minister Andy Burnham said earlier this month Britain was prepared to consider.

Britain will also deploy an Atlas A400M transport aircraft and military advisers, expanding assistance announced in September which included an RAF Voyager air-to-air refuelling aircraft but not fighter jets.

Houthi attacks against Saudi oil facilities and other infrastructure have intensified in recent weeks as the conflict in Yemen has escalated.

Inside Yemen, authorities said a Houthi strike on Monday against a training camp for Saudi-backed government security forces killed 58 people.