UK to send additional air defense kit, troops to Middle East

Britain plans to send additional air defense equipment and troops to help its allies in the Middle East as Iranian attacks continue, Defense Minister John Healey says as he visits Saudi Arabia, Qatar and Bahrain.

Healey held talks with allies where they discussed the Strait of Hormuz and further UK-Gulf co-operation on regional security, Britain’s Ministry of Defense says. The UK will deploy Sky Sabre, a ground-based air defense system used by the British Army, in Saudi Arabia, the statement says.

The deployment of British Typhoon fighter jets in Qatar, where the UK operates a joint squadron with Qatar, will be extended, Healey announces.

Britain’s Lightweight Multirole Launcher is now in Bahrain, where it is being integrated into that country’s defense systems, the ministry adds.

Healey tells reporters that British troops will help install, train, and operate the new air defense systems, with nearly 1,000 soldiers expected to be deployed across the Middle East to help “defend the skies and reinforce air defenses.”

“I pay tribute to the heroic efforts of our partners across the Gulf in protecting their nations. We will stand by our long-term partners in the Middle East and continue to push for a swift resolution to this conflict,” Healey says in a statement.