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

THE RAF has been scrambled to help Saudi Arabia combat Houthi terrorists who are targeting ships in a key trade route. Andy Burnham confirmed he authorised a military jet to aid the Kingdom in repelling the Iran-backed militia who are causing havoc in the Gulf. The PM pressed the button on his major foreign policy call to help alleviate the cost of living pressures for UK families feeling the pinch of high fuel prices. An A400M Voyager jet will depart Britain’s Cyprus base in the coming days to assist Saudi top guns with air-to-air refuelling for defensive purposes. Speaking on the way to the United Nations in New York overnight, Mr Burnham said: “We have received a request from the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia for military support, and on the advice of the Defence Secretary and the Foreign Secretary, last night I agreed to that request for defensive air- t-o air refuelling, and that’s the agreement that we’ve given. “And I go back to the point I made about cost of living pressures and acting to secure the interests of Britain and the wider region, because of course Saudi Arabia has been experiencing attack, is looking at potential further disruption, and we need to keep those pathways open, and hence our agreement to the request.” READ MORE WORLD NEWS 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 war between Houthi rebels and Saudi Arabia has reignited in recent weeks with tit-for-tat strikes between both sides. Most read in The Sun The fighting broke out after years of relative peace near the beginning of the US-Israeli conflict with Iran in February. Over the last few weeks, the Iranian-backed proxy has 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. The shipping artery, reached by passing through the Red Sea, could spark global energy chaos if shut off – much like the Strait of Hormuz. Saudi Arabia, the world’s biggest oil exporter, has also been forced to cut its shipments after Houthi strikes targeted one of its most important pipelines – rendering it useless for weeks. The UK’s support for Saudi Arabia could begin within the next few days, The Times reports. It is understood to be “time limited” and likely to last “for weeks”. 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. He said the decision to provide the Kingdom with air support was linked to cost-of-living squeezes felt in Britain. “I go back to the point I made about cost-of-living pressures and acting to secure the interests of Britain and the wider region,” he said. “Because of course Saudi Arabia has been experiencing attacks, is looking at potential further disruption, and we need to keep those pathways open, and hence our agreement to the request.” Last week, the Houthis were accused of launching a drone towards Saudi Arabia’s holy city of Mecca. Riyadh warned the Iranian-backed terror group’s alleged attack was a “red line”.