The United Kingdom announced Tuesday that the Royal Air Force is deploying Typhoon fighter jets to fly defensive missions over Saudi Arabia as the Houthis continue attacking the Gulf state.
The British government said the deployment will help protect Saudi cities and critical infrastructure from incoming aerial attacks launched by the Iran-backed proxy. British forces will not be conducting offensive operations against the Yemen-based group.
Beyond the fighter jets, the U.K. is also supplying an Airbus A400M Atlas to help transport defense material and British military advisers within Saudi Arabia.
The move comes after the Houthis have attacked King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh and Saudi energy infrastructure with drone and ballistic missile strikes.
The U.K. says the attacks are “unacceptable,” adding that thwarting the Houthis is in its “national economic and security interest.” Britain and Saudi Arabia have had a long-standing defense and military partnership.
The British defense ministry said it “unequivocally” condemns the Houthis for attacking civilian targets.
“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,” Defense Secretary Wes Streeting said in a statement.
“That’s why today I have approved further UK military support,” he added. “RAF Typhoons will fly defensive air missions to help protect Saudi airspace from drones and missiles. This builds on the UK equipment and personnel we already have in the country to defend against Houthi air attacks.”
The Houthis struck the Riyadh-based airport this month, killing around a dozen people and wounding another 300. Other airports were also targeted by the group, but the strikes on King Khalid International Airport were the deadliest.
The security situation has greatly disrupted Saudi Arabia, forcing the nation to postpone its annual Future Investment Initiative conference to 2027. The event, also known as “Davos in the Desert,” was previously scheduled for Oct. 26-29.