Britain will deploy an RAF Voyager tanker to provide air-to-air refuelling for Saudi fighter jets in a time-limited defensive mission against Houthi drone and missile attacks. The support was approved by Prime Minister Andy Burnham after a formal Saudi request, with operations expected to begin within days and run for several weeks.
The tanker is expected to operate from RAF Akrotiri in Cyprus and will help Saudi aircraft remain on station longer while protecting the kingdom’s airspace. UK officials have framed the move as strictly defensive, excluding any role in offensive strikes, and linked it to wider concerns over regional security and the safety of shipping and energy routes.
The deployment adds to existing British support for Saudi Arabia, including the Sky Sabre air-defence system already in place. The decision follows advice from the defence and foreign secretaries and will remain under review throughout the mission.