Saudi Arabia has struggled to bring down incoming missiles and drones because so much of its air defence capability was used up against Iranian attacks earlier this year.
The sheer size of the country also makes it hard to provide comprehensive air defence.
The UK warplanes will not only help Saudi Arabia defend its skies, but they will also free up the country’s own aircraft to carry out offensives strikes against the Houthis.
The UK will also deploy military advisers and an RAF A400M transport aircraft to support the movement of defence equipment within Saudi Arabia.
It is already providing Saudi Arabia with defence support equipment to protect against aerial attacks and air-to-air refuelling for defensive Saudi operations. The refuelling has now been extended by 90 days.
In a separate statement, Streeting said the targeting of Riyadh airport “shows the lengths the Houthis are going to escalate the situation in the region”.
“That’s why today I have approved further UK military support,” the defence secretary added.
Streeting also pointed to violence in the Gulf disrupting energy supplies and increasing costs for families and businesses.
Earlier this month, Houthi military spokesman Brig Gen Yahya Saree vowed to continue the “escalating operations deep inside Saudi Arabia”.
Source: www.bbc.co.uk
