WW1 to Houthis: British jets for Saudi Arabia build on long military bond

What happened: The UK will deploy Royal Air Force Typhoon fighter jets to help defend Saudi Arabia from Houthi missile and drone attacks, the MoD said. The jets will play a defensive role and will not carry out attacks. Key numbers: 72 Typhoons bought by Saudi Arabia in September 2007 for 4.43 billion pounds; 48 more Typhoons in a March 2018 memorandum of intent; 40 Lightning jets and 25 trainers Why it matters: The deployment extends a UK-Saudi military partnership dating to the 1915 Treaty of Darin, and comes amid heavy fighting between the Houthis and Yemen's Saudi-backed government.

The UK will deploy Royal Air Force Typhoon fighter jets to help defend Saudi Arabia from Houthi missile and drone attacks, the MoD said. The jets will play a defensive role and will not carry out attacks.

The deployment extends a UK-Saudi military partnership dating to the 1915 Treaty of Darin, and comes amid heavy fighting between the Houthis and Yemen's Saudi-backed government.