RAF to give air support to Saudi Arabia as Kingdom fights Iran-backed Houthi rebels trying to seize shipping lane

THE RAF is set to give Saudi Arabia air support to help combat Houthi terrorists targeting ships in a key trade route. A military jet is being sent to assist the Arab Kingdom in repelling the Iran-backed militia, who are causing havoc in the Gulf. The UK will send a Voyager tanker (stock) Credit: Alamy A Voyager tanker will depart Britain’s Cyprus base, RAF Akrotiri in the coming days to assist Saudi top guns with air-to-air refuelling. Speaking on his way to the United Nations in New York overnight, PM Andy Burnham said: “We have received a request from the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia for military support, and I agreed to that.” Sign up for The Sun newsletter Thank you! It is Mr Burnham’s first major military intervention since becoming PM. The UK will provide “defensive air-to-air refuelling” support, he said. Houthi strikes on ships in the Bab al-Mandab strait have disrupted trade and contributed to the soaring price of oil. The decades-long conflict between Houthi rebels and Saudi Arabia has reignited in recent weeks with tit-for-tat strikes between both sides. The conflict broke out after years of relative peace near the beginning of the US-Israeli war with Iran in February. Over the last few weeks, the Iranian-backed proxy have claimed key islands and territories by the Bab al-Mandab strait – a key naval chokepoint which leads to one of the most important global trade routes, the Suez Canal. Most read in The Sun The shipping artery, reached by passing through the Red Sea, could spark global energy chaos if shut off – much like the Strait of Hormuz. Mr Burnham made the comments ahead of his first meeting with Donald Trump. The PM is expected to urge the US president to tone down his war with Iran while pointing out the far-reaching consequences on ordinary people. Comment now