UK to deploy Typhoon fighter jets to Saudi Arabia amid Houthi attacks

The United Kingdom announced on Tuesday it will deploy Royal Air Force Typhoon fighter jets to Saudi Arabia to help defend the kingdom against escalating attacks by Yemen’s Houthi rebels. The aircraft will protect Saudi cities and critical infrastructure from drones and missiles, according to the UK Ministry of Defense. However, the jets will not carry out offensive strikes against Houthi targets in Yemen.This deployment follows a request from Saudi Arabia and expands upon military assistance announced by London in September. Britain will also send an Atlas A400M military transport aircraft and military advisers. Additionally, the UK has extended its offer to provide air-to-air refueling for Saudi aircraft operating against the Houthis for another 90 days.Yemen’s civil war has intensified following the collapse of a years-long truce in September. Houthi attacks have increasingly targeted Saudi oil facilities and civilian infrastructure. British Defense Secretary Wes Streeting condemned the continuing Houthi attacks on Saudi Arabia, specifically highlighting strikes on Riyadh’s international airport.Since the beginning of October, Riyadh’s international airport has been targeted 20 times. These attacks have killed at least 18 people and wounded hundreds this month. Saudi Arabia and the United States accuse Iran of supporting the Houthis, an allegation Tehran denies. The Houthi rebels have also imposed a naval blockade and attacked tankers, disrupting oil exports and pushing up energy prices.Amid rising security concerns, Saudi Arabia has postponed its flagship Future Investment Initiative (FII) conference, informally known as “Davos in the Desert,” until 2027. The event, originally scheduled for October 26-29, was expected to attract leading international financiers. Media reports indicate that major banks and private equity firms had raised security concerns about attending the conference.The FII conference is a key part of Saudi Arabia’s efforts to attract foreign investment and diversify its economy away from oil. Its postponement underscores the economic impact of regional instability. Saudi Minister of Foreign Affairs Prince Faisal bin Farhan and his Kuwaiti counterpart Sheikh Jarrah Jaber Al-Ahmad Al-Sabah condemned the continued Houthi attacks against civilian areas in Saudi Arabia and expressed solidarity in confronting threats to regional security and stability.Approximately 700,000 Nepali workers are currently employed in Saudi Arabia. In the fiscal year 2082/83 (2025/2026), Saudi Arabia granted labor permits to 124,583 Nepali workers. The escalating tensions in the region could indirectly affect the safety and employment of these Nepali migrant workers.Giri Bahadur Sunar, Nepal’s proposed residential ambassador to Saudi Arabia, pledged during his parliamentary hearing to organize regular mobile consular camps and initiate the digitization of consular services. Sunar is currently under investigation by the parliamentary hearing committee regarding allegations of violence against women and financial irregularities.Saudi Arabia is expected to announce new dates for the Future Investment Initiative (FII) conference in 2027.