UK commits Typhoons to intercept Houthi drones and missiles over Saudi Arabia

The UK is deploying RAF Typhoon fighters to help defend Saudi cities and infrastructure against Houthi drones and missiles, according to a statement from the UK Defense Ministry. The jets “will not conduct offensive strikes”; their role is interception, backed by an A400M heavy-lift transport and British advisers on the ground.

It’s the strongest backing yet from a major Western ally, coming as Saudi appeals to Washington have drawn no direct US intervention, and as Turkey’s parliament has yet to ratify the Makkah Joint Defense Agreement (MJDA). France has sent radar systems to Yanbu, the frequently targeted Red Sea port, and Egypt is due to weigh possible support in the coming days. Gulf states have voiced support for the Kingdom but stopped short of joining the war against the Houthis.

In the meantime, the Houthis haven’t let up: The Saudi-led coalition said it intercepted and destroyed a ballistic missile launched by the group towards Riyadh and subsequently destroyed its launch platform. Houthi spokesperson Yahya Saree said Saudi forces carried out 93 airstrikes and missile attacks in the past 24 hours, striking Al Jawf, Taiz, Saada, Marib, Hajjah, Lahij, Amran, and Ibb using F-15 and Typhoon aircraft.

Gulf carriers are cutting flights to Saudi Arabia through this Saturday, 24 October. This includes Flydubai’s Riyadh, Dammam, and Abha flights and Qatar Airways’ Riyadh and Dammam trips, while reducing Jeddah services to four daily flights. Etihad canceled all flights to Dammam and Riyadh, as well as some Jeddah flights.

Houthi attacks have prompted King Khalid International Airport to tell airlines they must request permission before landing or taking off, Bloomberg reported on Monday. Airlines also cannot use Riyadh’s main airport, which the Houthis have targeted, for emergencies.

Meanwhile, in the open waters…

A Qatari LNG tanker is taking the risky shortcut to Europe. The unnamed vessel, loaded in Qatar in August, is sailing north through the Red Sea and signaling Poland as its next destination, Bloomberg reports. Most ships now avoid the Red Sea and sail around Africa, which can add almost two weeks to a one-way voyage.

An LNG tanker came under fire off Yemen on Saturday. A small boat fired two rounds at an unidentified LNG tanker in the Gulf of Aden, southeast of Yemen’s Al Mukalla port, on Saturday, and the tanker’s security team returned fire, according to UK Maritime Trade Operations. Bloomberg’s tracking data suggests the Poland-bound carrier was the only LNG tanker in the area at the time. The vessel has since continued its voyage, and its identity is unconfirmed.

Why this matters: The country was Qatar’s third-largest EU customer in 2025, importing around 1.6 mn tons of Qatari LNG. Polish energy company Orlen, which holds a long-term QatarEnergy contract, has since turned to US shipments to replace disrupted Qatari supplies. The cargo is arriving into a European market holding its thinnest seasonal gas stocks in over a decade, with prices at a near four-year high, leaving buyers with less breathing room ahead of winter.