Key facts
- UK military support for Saudi Arabia, including refuelling of fighter jets, is facing renewed criticism from academics and civil society groups.
- The signatories warned that continued UK military assistance risks making Britain complicit in war crimes and violations of international humanitarian law.
- The Yemen Data Project recorded over 25,000 Saudi-led coalition air raids between 2015 and 2022, with allegations of attacks on civilians and infrastructure.
- The UN Development Programme estimated the Yemen conflict killed 377,000 people by the end of 2021.
- UK support for US air strikes against Houthis in spring 2025 was linked to an estimated 281 civilian casualties.
- Recent fighting in Yemen has displaced approximately 130,000 people and resulted in 110 casualties, including 28 deaths.
Academics and civil society groups are calling on the UK government to halt its military support for Saudi Arabia, warning that refuelling Saudi fighter jets risks complicity in further violations of international law amid escalating conflict in Yemen. The signatories, including organizations like the Campaign Against Arms Trade and the Yemen Relief and Reconstruction Foundation, along with academics, expressed their concerns in an open letter to Prime Minister Andy Burnham and Foreign Secretary Ed Miliband.
They highlighted the long-standing British support for the Saudi-led coalition's military action in Yemen, which began in 2015. According to the Yemen Data Project, the coalition conducted 25,054 air raids between 2015 and 2022, with evidence suggesting these attacks targeted civilians and civilian infrastructure. The conflict, which also involved a blockade, economic collapse, and ground fighting, has resulted in a severe humanitarian crisis. The UN Development Programme estimated that by the end of 2021, the war had caused 377,000 deaths, both directly and indirectly. Allegations have also been made that the Saudi-led coalition used starvation as a weapon.
The groups argue that the intervention has failed to dislodge the Houthis, who continue to control most of Yemen's population. They also criticized Britain's role in US air strikes against the Houthis in spring 2025, which reportedly involved refuelling support. A Pentagon assessment cited by the signatories suggested these strikes likely caused 281 civilian casualties.
The latest escalation in fighting has displaced approximately 130,000 people in recent weeks and caused 110 casualties, including 28 deaths. The signatories contend that further air strikes will not resolve the conflict and instead risk fuelling the war and complicity in further crimes. They urged the British government to refrain from involvement in Saudi military operations and to prioritize de-escalatory diplomacy to achieve peace and reduce wider economic consequences.