Andy Burnham, the UK prime minister, said he has agreed to Saudi Arabia’s request to carry out a temporary air-to-air refueling operation for defensive purposes, with the aim of helping bring stability to the region.

According to Reuters, the Saudi request was raised after the Houthis, who control populated areas of Yemen, escalated their attacks on Saudi Arabia; attacks that form a new front in a broader war that began with U.S. and Israeli attacks on Iran on 30 January.

Burnham, during a trip to New York to attend the United Nations General Assembly session, told reporters: “We received a request from the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia for military support, and I, last night, based on the recommendation of the defense minister and the foreign minister, agreed to this request for defensive air refueling.”

He said: “Saudi Arabia has been facing an attack, and we have to keep these routes open, and that is why we agreed to this request.”