UK To Deploy RAF Fighter Jets To Defend Saudi Arabia Against Escalating Houthi Attacks

Britain will deploy Royal Air Force fighter jets on defensive missions to help protect Saudi Arabia from escalating Houthi attacks, Bloomberg reported on Tuesday, citing British officials familiar with the matter. RAF Typhoon fighter jets will help defend Saudi cities and infrastructure against aerial attacks by the Iran-backed group, while Britain will also provide an Atlas A400M transport aircraft and military advisers, the report said.

The expanded military mission marks a substantial deepening of Western security assistance to Riyadh as cross-border missile and drone strikes increasingly threaten energy facilities, urban centres, and civil aviation hubs across the Arabian Peninsula. Britain's Ministry of Defence did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Saudi Arabia Safety Advisory: India Warns Nationals Against Rooftops, Balconies Amid Houthi Attacks.

Significant Expansion Over Earlier Defensive Assistance

In September Britain said it would provide additional defensive military assistance to Saudi Arabia following renewed Houthi attacks, including an RAF Voyager air-to-air refuelling aircraft. That announcement did not include fighter jet support.

Under the revised deployment, British Typhoon pilots will fly defensive combat air patrols tasked with intercepting incoming aerial projectiles, cruise missiles, and one-way attack drones before they can strike Saudi civilian population centres or energy export terminals. The accompanying Atlas A400M strategic airlifter will handle logistics and heavy equipment transport, while British military advisers embed with local operational headquarters to coordinate joint air-defense tracking.

Surge in Cross-Border Drone and Missile Strikes

Houthi attacks have intensified in Saudi Arabia in recent weeks, with Yemen authorities saying on Monday that a strike on a government security forces training camp had killed 58 people.

The escalation follows recent missile strikes targeting King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh and ongoing naval skirmishes near the Bab-el-Mandeb Strait, which have disrupted commercial maritime passage and prompted regional airspace restrictions. Western allies have stepped up diplomatic and military coordination with Gulf partners to reinforce air defenses and counter proxy missile proliferation across the region.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Oct 20, 2026 05:07 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).