Escalating Yemen conflict deadliest yet as Houthis strike military centre, Britain sends jets to defend Saudi Arabia
Houthi ballistic missile attacks on Yemen have intensified dramatically since a September ceasefire collapsed, killing at least 58 soldiers in a single strike on a training centre and prompting repeated assaults on Saudi infrastructure. Saudi Arabia's Riyadh airport was targeted in the deadliest attack on the kingdom in over a decade, leaving at least 13 dead and more than 300 injured. Britain has announced the deployment of RAF Typhoon jets to provide strictly defensive support to Saudi Arabia, and international events including the 2027 Dakar Rally have been relocated due to security concerns.
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Yemen's civil war has entered a critical phase following the collapse of a ceasefire in September, with the Iran-backed Houthis launching an escalating offensive that has produced the conflict's deadliest week. A ballistic missile strike on a government military training centre in Shabwah killed at least 58 soldiers and wounded over 200, with 14 people reported missing. The Houthis have simultaneously seized effective control of the Bab al-Mandab strait, a strategically vital sea passage, and continue pushing toward the Saudi border.
Saudi Arabia has absorbed the heaviest impact of the renewed violence, enduring repeated missile and drone attacks targeting airports, ports and energy infrastructure. The most significant assault came on 10 October when a missile struck Riyadh's international airport, resulting in 13 deaths and injuring more than 300 people—the kingdom's deadliest attack in over a decade. Saudi authorities confirm that at least 19 people have been killed in airport attacks over recent weeks, and air defences were again activated on Sunday to intercept a missile and two drones over the capital as King Khalid International Airport resumed limited operations following a two-week shutdown.
In response to the escalation, Britain announced it will deploy RAF Typhoon jets in a defensive capacity. Defence Secretary Wes Streeting emphasised that the operation, authorised by Prime Minister Andy Burnham, will remain strictly defensive and will not involve offensive operations against Houthi positions. The deteriorating security situation has extended beyond military concerns, affecting international events: the Dakar Rally's 2027 edition has been relocated from Saudi Arabia, adding to a growing list of sporting events affected by regional instability, including cancelled Formula One races in Jeddah and Bahrain.
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