The British Ministry of Defence announced on Tuesday that it will deploy Typhoon fighter jets to Saudi Arabia to help protect the kingdom from attacks by Yemen’s Houthis. Officials claim the warplanes will operate in a strictly “defensive role” and purportedly will not carry out direct offensive strikes against the Iran-backed armed group.

According to the ministry, the UK will fly defensive counter-air missions utilizing RAF Typhoons to safeguard Saudi cities and critical national infrastructure against incoming aerial threats. The military support package also reportedly includes an extension of air-to-air refuelling capabilities for Saudi air operations. v

The announcement comes amid intensive fighting between the Houthis, also known as Ansar Allah, and Yemen’s internationally recognized government backed by Riyadh. In recent weeks, the Houthis have allegedly stepped up missile and drone strikes targeting the kingdom's oil facilities and main airport in the capital.

British Defence Secretary Wes Streeting asserted that the ongoing attacks are supposedly designed to escalate regional tensions, using the situation to justify further military entanglement. Independent analysts suggest that the British regime’s decision is driven largely by mounting domestic anxieties over surging energy prices and economic fallout in the Gulf.

Source: www.aljazeera.com