UK Agrees to Provide Support to Saudi Forces

Britain is moving to support Saudi Arabia's fight against Yemen's Houthi rebels, with Prime Minister Andy Burnham approving his first military action since taking office—after the US has rebuffed requests for offensive action. Burnham told the Independent on Monday that, on the advice of his defense and foreign secretaries, he agreed to Riyadh's request for "defensive" air-to-air refueling, with one Royal Air Force aircraft expected to deploy within days. The mission could include shooting down drones, which the UK frames as a defensive step aimed at protecting Saudi cities and energy infrastructure.

Burnham, who spoke to reporters on his flight to New York for the UN General Assembly and his first in-person meeting with President Trump, said the decision was driven partly by concerns over energy supplies and living costs at home. Recent Houthi advances in Yemen have been accompanied by drone and missile attacks on Saudi airports, bases, oil sites, and shipping in the Red Sea, prompting the temporary shutdown of a key oil pipeline that bypasses the Strait of Hormuz. The UK says the support will be limited to weeks, as the Saudi-led coalition and the Iran-aligned Houthis trade strikes during renewed fighting along the Red Sea coast. Saudi Arabia also asked France, Pakistan, and Egypt to deploy air-defense support, per the AP.