UK Prime Minister Andy Burnham is evaluating requests from Saudi Arabia for diplomatic and military support to counter Houthi attacks in Yemen. According to reports from people familiar with the matter, the requests include operational support for Saudi military operations to repel the Iran-supported group's push south along Yemen's Red Sea coast toward the Bab el-Mandeb strait, as well as assistance to defend against strikes on Saudi oil infrastructure. As reported by Bloomberg, Burnham has now agreed to send British military advisers to Saudi Arabia to bolster its operations, marking one of his first major foreign policy decisions since taking office in July. However, the Prime Minister has not yet committed to sending any additional military aid beyond the already approved deployment of British military advisors. A UK government spokesperson declined to provide specific details, stating only that Britain would work with partners to support regional stability.
Saudi Arabia has experienced several Houthi missile and drone attacks this month, with the militant group targeting southern towns and Red Sea ports. On Tuesday morning, Saudi authorities issued air alerts for cities including Jeddah, Yanbu, Jazan and Al Ula, a medieval site that's key to Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman's attempts to boost tourism. While the government said the danger soon passed, dozens of people have been injured by strikes over the past week or so. The Houthis, who control land holding most of Yemen's population, captured the port of Mokha and some islands near the Bab el-Mandeb strait last week, tightening their grip over the strategic shipping chokepoint. According to i24NEWS, a former Yemeni official described losing Mocha to the Houthis as 'really bad' and called for more Saudi involvement in the conflict.
The escalating conflict has significantly impacted global energy markets, with Brent crude rising 1.5% to $107.25 per barrel on Tuesday, extending gains this month to almost 20%. The advance by Houthi militants in recent days, and Saudi Arabia's halt of its East-West pipeline following attacks, has helped push up energy prices even more. The East-West pipeline might take as much as six weeks to come back online, calling it Saudi Arabia's most crucial bypass since the Iran war choked off most exports through the Strait of Hormuz. This crisis poses challenges for the incoming Prime Minister's focus on reducing the cost of living, as traders now fully price five quarter-point BoE hikes by the end of 2027, which would complicate the new premier's key pledge to reduce the cost of living. The UK Treasury is particularly concerned that the recent escalation is taking place as the Office for Budget Responsibility prepares its economic and fiscal forecasts for the October 28 budget.
According to Bloomberg, Saudi Arabia is seeking to increase the amount of oil shipments passing through the Strait of Hormuz after closing its East-West oil pipeline. The Prime Minister was warned by UK officials that the Bab al-Mandeb Strait was critical to global shipping and the economy, and must be prevented from falling into Houthi hands. This strategic shift demonstrates the urgency of the situation as Saudi Arabia works to maintain its oil export capabilities while the East-West pipeline remains offline. The rerouting effort highlights the broader economic implications of the conflict for global energy markets and shipping routes.
The UK isn't alone in receiving Saudi requests for support, as Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman called President Trump last week urging strikes against the Houthis, though Washington has stayed out of the fight other than sending military advisers. According to reports, UK Foreign Secretary Ed Miliband spoke by phone to Saudi Foreign Minister Faisal bin Farhan on Saturday to discuss the Houthi attacks, with Miliband stating the UK stands firmly with Saudi Arabia and the internationally-recognized Government of Yemen. There is recent precedent for UK action: in 2024, when Rishi Sunak was prime minister, British armed forces carried out strikes on Houthi sites in Yemen after the group launched attacks in the Red Sea, with Labour's then opposition leader Keir Starmer backing those strikes. After becoming premier, Starmer subsequently sent military hardware to Saudi Arabia, and in March the UK's Sky Sabre air-defense system was set up there, comprising radars, a control center and missile launchers.
