Key facts
- UK to deploy RAF Typhoon fighter jets to Saudi Arabia.
- Aircraft will conduct defensive counter air missions only.
- UK to provide military transport aircraft and advisers.
- Deployment aims to protect Saudi cities and infrastructure.
- Houthi attacks on Saudi Arabia have escalated, including on Riyadh airport.
The UK will deploy Royal Air Force (RAF) Typhoon fighter jets to Saudi Arabia to help defend against escalating Houthi rebel attacks, the UK government announced Tuesday, October 20. The jets will conduct defensive counter air missions to protect Saudi cities and critical national infrastructure from drones and missiles, operating in a defensive role without offensive strikes. The deployment also includes an RAF A400M military transport aircraft for moving defense materiel within Saudi Arabia and military advisers to support Saudi staff officers. Defence Secretary Wes Streeting called the continuing Houthi attacks "despicable," noting the targeting of Riyadh's airport as an escalation. The move builds on existing British defensive support for Saudi Arabia amid increased Houthi aggression, including missile and drone attacks on civilian areas and a naval blockade impacting oil exports. The conflict has claimed 19 lives in Saudi Arabia so far, with a recent missile strike on a Yemeni government training camp killing 73 people.