UK nears deal to help Saudi Arabia counter Houthi attacks

Britain is close to agreeing to provide defensive military support to Saudi Arabia as the kingdom endures sustained attacks from Iran-backed Houthi forces in Yemen, Bloomberg reported on Monday. Prime Minister Andy Burnham is leaning toward offering what his government considers defensive assistance and plans to lobby other nations to follow suit, according to people familiar with the matter.bloomberg

The development marks an escalation of British involvement after Burnham had already approved the deployment of military advisers to Riyadh. Saudi Arabia had sought a broader package of support, including operational help to reverse Houthi advances along Yemen's Red Sea coast toward the Bab el-Mandeb Strait, a chokepoint through which roughly 12 percent of the world's seaborne oil passes.firstpost+2

A Vacuum Left by Washington

The UK's deepening role comes after President Trump declined Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman's repeated requests for direct American strikes against the Houthis. Over the weekend, Trump reportedly considered ordering strikes but called them off at the last minute, according to Axios. A separate Reuters report said Houthi fighters were on Monday pushing to seize strategic heights in Yemen to cut off the Red Sea coast from Saudi-backed forces.telegraph+2

Saudi Arabia has also asked France, Pakistan, and Egypt to deploy air defense assets as its interceptor missile stockpiles run low, the Associated Press reported. Pakistan and Turkey, which signed a joint defense pact with Riyadh, have not yet come to the kingdom's aid.middleeasteye+1

Economic Pressures Mount

Burnham has been warned by officials that Houthi control of the Bab el-Mandeb would have a "catastrophic" impact on international shipping and further weaken an already struggling British economy. The Houthis' September 11 drone attack on Saudi Arabia's East-West pipeline — which carries nearly four percent of global oil supply — forced its temporary closure and led Riyadh to suspend some oil shipments to European customers.gbnews+2

Energy Minister Martin McCluskey told the House of Commons last week that Britain was already providing air defense support to Saudi Arabia through its existing defense partnership, though he declined to comment on operational details. Foreign Secretary Ed Miliband spoke with his Saudi counterpart, stating the "UK stands firmly with Saudi Arabia".middleeasteye+1

Humanitarian Concerns

The renewed fighting has displaced nearly 94,000 people in Yemen, according to the United Nations. Arms trade campaigners warned that deeper British involvement risked repeating the UK's role in a conflict that has caused widespread civilian casualties since 2015. Sam Perlo-Freeman of the Campaign Against Arms Trade told The New Arab it was "absolutely appalling that we are seeing this pattern repeating itself".newarab