UK to deploy RAF tanker for Saudi refuelling support
The UK says one Voyager aircraft will refuel Saudi fighter jets under a time-limited arrangement, while ruling out direct involvement in the conflict with Yemen’s Houthi group.
The United Kingdom will deploy one Royal Air Force Voyager tanker to refuel Saudi fighter jets, following a request from Riyadh for air-defence support. Prime Minister Andy Burnham said the arrangement would be time-limited and kept under review.
The UK says it will not directly join Saudi Arabia’s renewed conflict with Yemen’s Houthi group. The Ministry of Defence told Al Jazeera the refuelling plan builds on existing British air-defence support in Saudi Arabia, including equipment and personnel helping protect against missile and drone attacks.
The ministry said the UK had an interest in regional stability, trade and energy supplies, and in encouraging a diplomatic resolution to the Yemen conflict. It has not specified how long the refuelling arrangement will last.
The announcement comes amid renewed fighting. Al Jazeera reports that the Houthis have advanced towards Yemen’s Red Sea coast and targeted Riyadh and Saudi oil infrastructure. The extent to which British refuelling support could affect Saudi operations remains unclear.
The UK has longstanding military ties with Saudi Arabia. Earlier this year, it deployed its Sky Sabre air-defence system to the kingdom. The refuelling commitment adds to that support, while stopping short of direct British participation in the conflict.
