Britain is sending its fighter pilots into the Yemen conflict, but only as goalkeepers. The Ministry of Defence announced on Tuesday that RAF Typhoon jets will fly defensive patrols to help shield Saudi cities and key infrastructure from Houthi missiles and drones. London stressed that the aircraft will not attack targets inside Yemen. How many jets will take part was not disclosed.
The package goes further than September’s offer, whose centrepiece was a Voyager tanker for refuelling Saudi aircraft. That tanker mission now runs for another 90 days. In addition, an A400M Atlas transport plane will shuttle military equipment around the kingdom, and British advisers will work alongside Saudi staff officers.
Defence Secretary Wes Streeting called the Houthi attacks on Britain’s ally “absolutely despicable” and singled out the strikes on Riyadh’s King Khalid International Airport. That attack, earlier this month, cost 13 lives. In total, 19 people have died in Saudi Arabia since the Houthis began their offensive in September. Only on Monday, Yemen’s government accused the rebels of a deadly missile attack on recruits in Shabwa province.
The Guardian describes the deployment as the weightiest military decision Andy Burnham has taken since becoming prime minister. The government justifies it partly with domestic concerns: unrest in the Gulf pushes up energy bills and the cost of living in Britain. Critics worry that the UK could be seen as drifting closer to the unpopular US-Israeli war against Iran.
The ties between London and Riyadh run deep. BAE Systems has sold the Saudi air force 72 Typhoons, and talks on another 48 have dragged on for years. Earlier this year, British jets based in Cyprus and Qatar had already helped intercept Iranian drones aimed at Gulf states.
