UK sends Typhoon jets to Saudi Arabia to shield cities and oil sites from Houthi attacks

Britain is sending Royal Air Force (RAF) Typhoon fighter jets to Saudi Arabia to help protect its cities, airports and oil and gas facilities from missile and drone attacks by Yemen's Houthi rebels.

Defence Secretary Wes Streeting said the aircraft would operate strictly in a defensive role. "These aircraft will operate in a defensive role and will not conduct offensive strikes against the Houthis," he said.

The package also includes military advisers, an RAF A400M transport aircraft, and a 90-day extension of Britain's air-to-air refuelling support for Saudi defensive operations. Britain already supplies air defence equipment and personnel to help Saudi Arabia counter missiles and drones.

Why it matters beyond the Gulf

Streeting warned that violence in the Gulf is disrupting energy supplies, raising costs and putting more financial pressure on households and businesses. For Nigerians, that matters directly: fuel prices and transport costs at home move with global oil and shipping conditions, and any threat to Gulf energy infrastructure can feed through to pump prices and the cost of goods.

According to Sahara Reporters, citing the BBC, Prime Minister Andy Burnham approved the deployment. The Whistler, citing Bloomberg and Reuters, reported that the UK Ministry of Defence had not immediately commented. The two accounts differ on how the decision was announced, but agree on what is being sent.

Streeting condemned attacks on King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh on 10 and 11 October. The first attack killed 13 people and injured 308 others, and the Houthis claimed responsibility for both, according to Sahara Reporters.

The Houthis have stepped up attacks in recent weeks as fighting across Yemen has escalated. On Monday, Yemeni authorities said a Houthi strike on a government security forces training camp killed 58 people. Houthi military spokesman Brigadier General Yahya Saree has vowed to continue what he called escalating operations deep inside Saudi Arabia.

In September, Britain announced extra defensive support for Saudi Arabia after a request from Riyadh. That package included an RAF Voyager refuelling aircraft but no fighter jets.

What happens next

The timing of the Typhoon deployment has not been made public, and the UK Ministry of Defence has not commented on the reports. Britain says its support is meant to protect civilians, keep the region stable and safeguard trade and energy supplies, while pushing for a diplomatic end to the Yemen conflict.