UK Prime Minister Andy Burnham said on Monday that Britain will, at Saudi Arabia's request, provide it with aerial refueling support, dispatching a Royal Air Force "Voyager" tanker aircraft to assist Saudi fighter jets in carrying out missions. The move is aimed at helping Saudi Arabia counter attacks by the Iran-backed Houthi militia on Saudi oil infrastructure and Red Sea shipping. The Houthis had previously attacked the Saudi capital Riyadh and the east-west oil pipelines, and had announced a blockade of Saudi shipping in the Red Sea and the Bab el-Mandeb Strait, a waterway that carries about 12% of global trade. Burnham stressed that the arrangement is "time-limited," aimed at safeguarding the interests of Britain and the broader region and ensuring that oil export routes remain open. However, the UK will not directly participate in the conflict between Saudi Arabia and the Houthis. Some analysts believe Britain's support is more of a political gesture than a major military shift.