# UK backs Saudi jets against Houthis to ease cost of living

> Andy Burnham agrees to air-to-air refuelling support as he prepares to meet Trump and tackle Middle East instability.
- Title: UK backs Saudi jets against Houthis to ease cost of living
- Summary: Andy Burnham agrees to air-to-air refuelling support as he prepares to meet Trump and tackle Middle East instability. The UK will provide air-to-air…
- Keywords: andy burnham, saudi arabia, houthis, middle east, donald trump, uk defence, oil prices, cost of living, news, world, backs, Saudi
- Source: the Guardian — https://theguardian.com/politics/2026/sep/21/uk-to-give-support-to-saudi-jets-in-attempt-to-counter-houthi-fighters
- Published: 2026-09-21T21:33:09+00:00
- Read time: 3 min
- Topics: andy burnham, saudi arabia, houthis, middle east, donald trump, uk defence, oil prices, cost of living, news, world
## UK agrees to refuel Saudi jets
Prime minister Andy Burnham has agreed to provide air-to-air refuelling support to Saudi Arabia to help counter Houthi fighters and defend energy infrastructure in the Middle East.
## RAF Voyager will support for several weeks
An RAF Voyager air-to-air refuelling aircraft will help refuel Saudi jets for several weeks, Burnham's first military deployment since taking power, after Houthis advanced near the Bab al-Mandab strait.
## Keeping oil flowing to ease inflation
Burnham said the support aims to keep energy pathways open and ease global economic turmoil. Middle East instability has pushed up global energy prices, putting intense inflationary pressure on the UK economy.
## Saudi Arabia using alternative oil route
The key Gulf ally has used the Bab al-Mandab strait as an alternative route for oil exports, bypassing disruption in the strait of Hormuz. The RAF support supplements the UK Sky Sabre air defence system already operating.
## Burnham's message on the decision
Burnham said: "We have received a request from Saudi Arabia for military support and I agreed to that request for defensive air-to-air refuelling. On cost of living pressures and acting to secure the interests of Britain, the wider region, we need to keep those pathways open."

> We have received a request from Saudi Arabia for military support and I agreed to that request for defensive air-to-air refuelling.
## Burnham to press Trump on Iran
Burnham plans to use his first meeting with Trump on Tuesday to urge the US president to de-escalate the conflict in Iran, warning that US action has destabilised the region and unleashed global economic volatility affecting the UK.
## Trump still angry over Iran stance
The US president is said to be angry over the UK's refusal to support his military action in Iran, and tensions persist over defence spending levels. Burnham will attempt to highlight the importance of the security partnership.
## Burnham signals support for North Sea drilling
The prime minister is expected to signal to Trump that he favours more drilling in the North Sea, including the Jackdaw gasfield that is likely to get the green light within weeks, to avoid clashing over energy policy.
## Burnham pursues a middle path with Trump
Government sources said Burnham would pursue a third way with Trump, neither as adversarial as Canadian prime minister Mark Carney nor as publicly fawning as Starmer's early approach, relying on the strength of his personality.
## Burnham to focus UN speech on AI
Burnham's speech to the UN is expected to focus on harnessing the power of artificial intelligence, amid concerns at home over the safety of the rapidly advancing technology. He will be accompanied by his AI minister, Kanishka Narayan.
## UK to host G20 in Manchester next year
Burnham will tell world leaders the UK will focus on artificial intelligence and climate change when it hosts the G20 in Manchester next year, potentially causing ripples with Trump, who has previously criticised the UK's stance on global warming.
## Key takeaway

The UK will provide air-to-air refuelling for Saudi jets to counter Houthi attacks on energy infrastructure, aiming to stabilise Middle East oil supplies and reduce UK inflation ahead of Andy Burnham's first meeting with Donald Trump.