London Turns RAF Tankers Into a Red Sea Energy-Security Backstop

British Prime Minister Andy Burnham has approved limited defensive air-to-air refueling support for Saudi Arabia after Riyadh requested help countering intensified Houthi attacks. Reporting from AP, Reuters, The Guardian and Bloomberg says the mission is expected to involve one RAF Voyager for a time-limited deployment measured in weeks. The move links Yemen’s renewed escalation directly to oil-route security, allied burden-sharing and the cost-of-living politics of keeping maritime chokepoints open.