Is the UK on Saudi Arabia’s side? What help is London providing?

The UK has decided to provide military assistance to Saudi Arabia to counter the Houthi attacks in Yemen. The limited facility will see the RAF refuel Saudi warplanes in the air.

British Prime Minister Andy Burnham said he had agreed to the aid following a formal request from Saudi Arabia. The decision was made on the advice of Defence Secretary Wes Streeting and Foreign Secretary Ed Miliband.

The report said the operation could begin in the next few days with a British Voyager aircraft. The aircraft will operate from RAF Akrotiri base in Cyprus. The assistance is time-bound and is initially scheduled to last for a few weeks.

The BBC, citing British officials, said the aim of the aid was to increase the ability of Saudi warplanes to intercept drones and missiles launched by the Houthis by providing them with mid-air refueling.

Yemen's Houthis have recently claimed to have launched drone and missile attacks on Saudi Arabia's capital Riyadh and other key sites. Fire and smoke were seen near Riyadh on Saturday after the attack. Saudi authorities said they had intercepted a missile heading towards Riyadh.

Yemen's internationally recognized government, backed by Saudi Arabia, has been in a long-running conflict with the Houthis. The recent escalation has also raised concerns about the Red Sea and the vital Bab al-Mandeb waterway.