The Royal Air Force is to mount a defensive shield operation over Saudi Arabia to protect the Kingdom from missile attacks by Houthi rebels.
asserted
Force → mount → rebels
RAF sources confirmed the mission template this morning following weeks of airstrikes by the Iranian-backed group based in neighbouring Yemen.
Operating in tandem with Tehran, the Houthi are seeking to destroy Saudi Arabia's oil exportation industry.
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Houthi → confirm → industry
The militants have also launched a series of deadly strikes on the country's airports.
asserted
militants → launch → airports
Defence Secretary Wes Streeting said today: 'RAF Typhoon aircraft will conduct defensive counter-air operations over Saudi Arabia, helping to protect Saudi cities, civilian populations and critical national infrastructure from Houthi attack.
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aircraft → say → attack
These aircraft will operate in a defensive role and will not conduct offensive strikes against the Houthis.'
Saudi Arabia is a key regional ally of the UK and British personnel are deployed to the country as military advisors.
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personnel → operate → advisors
While last year the RAF launched air strikes against Houthi targets in Yemen.
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RAF → launch → Yemen
Typhoon jets struck buildings on military sites used to manufacture attack drones 15 miles from the capital Sanaa.
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jets → strike → capital
Since November 2023, the Houthi have been carrying out attacks on commercial ships in the Red Sea.
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Houthi → carry → Sea
Those attacks reduced shipping by 55 per cent in the area costing billions of pounds.
asserted
attacks → reduce → pounds
An RAF Eurofighter Typhoon takes off from RAF Coningsby.
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Typhoon → take → Coningsby
The British aircraft will be helping to protect Saudi cities, civilian populations and critical national infrastructure
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aircraft → help → cities
A Written Ministerial Statement confirming the impending deployment of RAF assets to Saudi is expected later today.
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Statement → write → Saudi
According to defence sources, Typhoons will fly defensive missions to protect Saudi cities and industrial infrastructure.
uncertain
Typhoons → accord → cities
The RAF is also expected to send a A400 transport aircraft to provide supplies as part of a move signed off by Prime Minister Andy Burnham.
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RAF → expect → Burnham
Last month Mr Burnham sent British jets to help defend oil infrastructure.
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Burnham → send → infrastructure
The Prime Minister said in September that the RAF would provide air-to-air refuelling support for jets shooting down drones and missiles fired by the Houthis.
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RAF → say → Houthis
Houthi rebels in Yemen have been hitting the Kingdom with persistent and deadly missile strikes for weeks.
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rebels → hit → weeks
Saudi Arabia's terrified Crown Prince has been forced into hiding as Houthi rebels continue to hit Riyadh, a report has claimed.
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report → force → Riyadh
Mohammed bin Salman, 41, has been moving between heavily guarded palaces with bunkers, according to officials.
uncertain
Salman → move → officials
Earlier this month, the Kingdom was struck by its deadliest attack in a decade when a projectile hit King Khalid International Airport, killing 13 and injuring hundreds.
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projectile → strike → hundreds
The Saudi capital's airport was struck again yesterday, leaving one dead and 11 injured.
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airport → strike → one
After this serious escalation in the war between the Saudi-led coalition government and Iran-backed Houthi fighters, Donald Trump warned the US could intervene.
uncertain
US → lead → government
Trump waded in on the conflict, telling reporters he 'may' join a counter attack after the Saudis vowed to retaliate.
uncertain
Saudis → wad → attack
As the Houthi strikes on Riyadh intensify the terrified crown prince has been closely guarded out of sight, the Wall Street Journal reports.
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Journal → intensify → sight
Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, 41, meeting Donald Trump last year...
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Salman → meet → Trump
he has been forced into hiding and is reportedly moving between heavily guarded palaces with bunkers
Surveillance footage shows the moment the passenger terminal at King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh was attacked on Saturday
According to Saudi officials: 'The 41-year-old crown prince is shuttling between heavily guarded palaces equipped with bunkers and is guarded by a handpicked security team.'
Schools across Riyadh have been forced to close and are operating with remote learning as Houthi attacks intensify.
uncertain
attacks → force → learning
It comes after President Trump last month described the Crown Prince as a 'good friend'.
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Trump → come → friend
When asked by reporters about the momentum that Houthi fighters were gaining in Yemen, he said: 'Everything is gonna work out fine and dandy.
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Everything → ask → Yemen
It's gonna be very good.
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It → go → ?
And yesterday, when quizzed about US involvement in the conflict, the President said he is 'going to look at it'.
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he → quiz → it
The Houthi strikes on Saudi Arabia on Sunday drew widespread criticism as the UK and EU condemned the attacks and reaffirmed their support for the country.
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UK → draw → country
UK Defence Secretary Wes Streeting said the Houthis' missile strikes were 'contemptible' and described them as 'dangerous escalation' in the war.
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strikes → say → war
The UK has warned against travel to Saudi Arabia - advising British nationals to 'continue to avoid King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh until the airport is secure'
He told Sky News: 'What we've seen overnight is a dangerous escalation and I'm afraid an increasing pattern of behaviour from the Houthis that's targeting civilian sites in Saudi Arabia.
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that → warn → Arabia
This is completely contemptible action and it's one of the reasons why the UK is providing support to Saudi Arabia in the form of air defences, but also air-to-air refuelling.
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UK → provide → refuelling
'We want to see an end to this conflict.
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We → want → conflict
It cannot be right that the Houthis are attacking civilian targets in this way.'
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Houthis → attack → way
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