UK Deploys RAF Voyager to Saudi Arabia for Defensive Refuelling Against Houthi Rebels

The UK government has agreed to provide a British aircraft, an RAF Voyager, to Saudi Arabia for 'defensive' air-to-air refuelling against Houthi rebels in Yemen. The move is aimed at supporting Saudi aircraft defending the country from attacks by drones and missiles rather than supporting strikes against the Houthis.

The RAF Voyager will be based at RAF Akrotiri in Cyprus, and officials have said the mission will be time-limited, indicating it could last for weeks. This decision comes as a response to a request from Saudi Arabia for military support, which was agreed upon following advice from Defence Secretary Wes Streeting and Foreign Secretary Ed Miliband.

The Houthi rebels are locked in a civil war with the internationally recognised Yemeni government, backed by Saudi Arabia. The Iran-backed militants have increased their chokehold on the Bab al-Mandeb Strait, a maritime chokepoint on the Red Sea, which is vital for traffic heading to Europe through the Suez Canal. This disruption or closure threatens the UK's energy supplies, inflation levels, and international trade corridors.