Britain approves Saudi request to provide aerial refueling services for defensive purposes

British Prime Minister Andy Burnham said he had approved a request from Saudi Arabia to provide aerial refueling services for defensive purposes for a limited period, a move he described as helping to stabilize the region.

Riyadh sought support after the Houthis, who control Yemen’s most populous areas, intensified their attacks on Saudi Arabia on a new front in the wider conflict that began with American and Israeli strikes on Iran in late February, according to Reuters.

Speaking to journalists as he traveled to New York to attend a meeting of the United Nations General Assembly, Burnham said, “We received a request from the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia for military support, and following advice from the Defense Secretary and the Foreign Secretary, I approved that request last night to provide aerial refueling services for defensive purposes.”

He added, “Because Saudi Arabia is, of course, under attack... and we need to keep those routes open, hence our approval of the request.”

Britain and Saudi Arabia have been linked by a close military alliance for decades, with Britain being one of the kingdom’s largest arms suppliers. Earlier this year, Britain deployed the Sky Sabre air defense system in Saudi Arabia to help protect it from Iranian missile attacks during the American-Israeli conflict with Iran.

Britain will deploy one Voyager aircraft in the coming days to provide the new aerial refueling support.

Burnham said, “It is a time-limited agreement in terms of the assistance we will provide, but we will keep it under review,” adding that Britain is “playing its part” in the Middle East also by supporting efforts to keep the Strait of Hormuz open.