Should Britain be giving military support to Saudi Arabia to fight the Houthis in Yemen?
The UK maintains a close defence partnership with Saudi Arabia and already provides air defence support. As of September 2026 the Houthis have resumed attacks on Saudi territory and seized key areas in Yemen including parts of the Bab al-Mandeb Strait, disrupting shipping and oil exports. Prime Minister Andy Burnham is considering Saudi requests for further defensive operational support including possible aerial refuelling while the UK condemns Houthi actions and supports Saudi and Yemeni government rights to self-defence.
2 Opinions
The Houthi’s pose a problem to everyone, we. should support the Yemen government in their battle to eliminate them.
The days of Britain ruling the waves have long since passed. We cannot be the world's policeman. Previous interventions in foreign conflicts have not raised our esteem or materially benefitted us in any way. Iraq's now riven with sectarian violence and Afghanistan, despite all the money spent and lives lost, is once again controlled by the Taliban. Our taxes could be better spent on projects that benefit the British people rather than lining the pockets of arms manufacturers.