UK prime minister Andy Burnham said he has approved air-to-air refuelling support for Saudi jets to help counter the Houthis and keep Gulf oil flowing, his government’s first military deployment, according to The Guardian.

He said he will use his first meeting with Donald Trump on Tuesday to press for de-escalation in the conflict with Iran. Britain already operates the Sky Sabre air defence system in Saudi Arabia, and the Houthis have advanced into areas adjacent to the Bab al-Mandab strait, an alternative route for Saudi oil exports.