UK military support for Saudi Arabia and developments in the Middle East

The UK has announced that Royal Air Force Typhoon jets will be deployed to defend Saudi Arabia against attacks by the Houthis in Yemen. Meanwhile, casualties continue to rise in the conflicts in Yemen and Gaza.

UK Defence Secretary Wes Streeting announced that Royal Air Force (RAF) Typhoon jets will conduct defensive air operations over Saudi Arabia to protect cities, the civilian population, and critical infrastructure. It was stated that British aircraft will destroy airborne drones or missiles while not targeting Houthi positions on the ground. Additionally, a transport aircraft and military advisors are being sent, and an offer to provide mid-air refuelling to Saudi aircraft has been extended for another 90 days.

In an Israeli strike on an apartment building in Gaza before dawn on Tuesday, a husband and wife were killed, while the Israeli military reported it was targeting a Hamas militant. In Shabwa, southern Yemen, the death toll rose to 73 due to Houthi ballistic missiles hitting the government's al-Alam military training camp; it was noted that those who lost their lives were between the ages of 18 and 20.

A Houthi missile that fell on a residential area in the besieged city of Taiz caused the deaths of two young girls and injured six people. UN human rights chief Volker Türk stated that civilians are at great risk and called for humanitarian aid crossings to be allowed. While Qatar argued that Israel is not committed to negotiations, diplomatic and nuclear tensions on the Israel and Iran front continued.