The United Kingdom has announced plans to deploy Royal Air Force (RAF) Typhoon fighter jets to help Saudi Arabia defend against missile and drone attacks by Yemen’s Houthi movement.
The British Ministry of Defence said on Tuesday that the deployment would serve a defensive purpose and would not involve direct attacks against the Houthis, also known as Ansar Allah.
The UK will also provide an A400M military transport aircraft, advisers and extended air-to-air refuelling support to strengthen Saudi Arabia’s air defence capabilities.
The decision comes amid escalating hostilities in Yemen, where the Houthis are fighting the internationally recognised government backed by Saudi Arabia.
In recent weeks, the Houthis have launched missile and drone attacks targeting Saudi Arabia, including oil facilities and Riyadh’s main airport. In response, the Saudi-led coalition has continued airstrikes against Houthi positions in Yemen.
A Military Partnership Spanning More Than a Century
The latest deployment highlights the longstanding military relationship between Britain and Saudi Arabia, which dates back to the First World War.
In December 1915, British official Sir Percy Cox signed the Treaty of Darin with Abdulaziz Ibn Saud, then ruler of Nejd in central Arabia. Under the agreement, Ibn Saud aligned with Britain against the Ottoman Empire, receiving financial and military assistance in return.
Britain signed another treaty with him in Jeddah in May 1927, five years before he established the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia in 1932.
Military Cooperation and Arms Deals
British-Saudi military cooperation expanded significantly in the 1960s when Saudi Arabia purchased 40 Lightning fighter jets, 25 jet trainers and radar equipment from the British Aircraft Corporation.
During the same period, Yemen’s civil war and political instability in the region influenced defence discussions between the two countries.
In 1966, Saudi Arabia requested British fighter squadron support in case fighting resumed in Yemen. Britain instead offered fighter aircraft operated by British pilots, although the proposed RAF deployment ultimately proved unnecessary.
The relationship developed further in 1973 when the two governments signed an agreement naming the British Aircraft Corporation, now part of BAE Systems, as the principal contractor for Saudi defence projects.
In 1985, Britain and Saudi Arabia signed the Al-Yamamah arms agreement, involving the supply of Tornado and Hawk aircraft in exchange for oil.
The agreement became one of the largest arms export deals in British history. However, allegations of corruption surrounding the contracts prompted an investigation by Britain's Serious Fraud Office in 2004. The investigation was discontinued in December 2006, with national security cited as a key consideration.
Britain's Previous Military Operations in Saudi Arabia
British forces have previously operated from Saudi Arabia during major regional conflicts.
Following Iraq’s invasion of Kuwait in August 1990, Saudi King Fahd requested assistance from allied countries. On August 11 that year, 12 RAF Tornado fighter aircraft flew from RAF Akrotiri in Cyprus to Dhahran, Saudi Arabia.
Additional British aircraft were subsequently deployed to Tabuk and Dhahran during the 1990–1991 Gulf War.
British aircraft later participated in patrols over southern Iraq alongside American and French forces, operating from Saudi bases until 2003.
Saudi Arabia's Acquisition of Typhoon Fighter Jets
In September 2007, Saudi Arabia agreed to purchase 72 Eurofighter Typhoon aircraft from Britain in a deal valued at approximately £4.43 billion, equivalent to about $8.9 billion at the time.
The aircraft were intended to replace older planes in the Saudi air force, with BAE Systems overseeing the project.
In March 2018, Britain and Saudi Arabia signed a memorandum of intent concerning the potential purchase of another 48 Typhoon aircraft. However, the proposed deal was delayed after Germany suspended arms sales to Saudi Arabia following the 2018 killing of Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi.
Germany lifted its objection in January 2024, allowing discussions over further aircraft sales to progress.
Britain's Role in the Yemen Conflict
Britain's military involvement in the Yemen conflict has attracted legal and political scrutiny.
In June 2019, the UK Court of Appeal ruled that the British government had acted unlawfully by licensing arms exports to Saudi Arabia for possible use in Yemen without properly assessing whether previous incidents had violated international humanitarian law.
The government subsequently suspended new licences before resuming them in July 2020, arguing that there was no clear risk the weapons would be used to commit serious violations of international humanitarian law.
British Typhoon aircraft also participated in US-led strikes against Houthi targets in Yemen in 2024, following attacks by the group on commercial shipping in the Red Sea.
In September 2026, Britain deployed a Voyager aerial refuelling aircraft to support Saudi military operations by refuelling fighter jets used by the kingdom's air force.
The latest deployment marks another expansion of British military assistance to Saudi Arabia as attacks by the Houthis raise concerns about regional security and the protection of critical infrastructure.
Tags
World News