Skip to content

Military & SecurityDeveloping

UK to deploy RAF jets to defend Saudi Arabia against Houthi attacks

By

Coverage spectrum

Covered by 14 outlets across the spectrum.

18 articles in total. The spectrum counts each outlet once and leaves opinion out. How we measure bias

RAF Typhoon fighter jet taxiing on a wet airfield runway at dusk
Image via The New York TimesHow images are chosenReport this image

The United Kingdom will deploy Royal Air Force Typhoon fighter jets to Saudi Arabia to protect cities and infrastructure from missile and drone attacks by the Houthis, the armed group in Yemen. The British government said the jets will fly defensive missions and will not carry out strikes. The deployment follows weeks of Houthi attacks on the kingdom, which Al Jazeera reports have hit oil facilities and Riyadh's main airport. Bloomberg reports that Prime Minister Andy Burnham asked the Royal Air Force to fly the missions. The New York Post, citing Reuters, reports that Yemeni authorities said a Houthi strike on a Saudi-backed government training camp killed 58 people.

Headline and summary written by Mantle’s AI from the coverage below, under published rules. How this works

What happened

Key points

Each point shows who reports it, from Far Left to Far Right.

  1. The UK will deploy Royal Air Force Typhoon jets to defend Saudi Arabia against Houthi missile and drone attacks.

    Across the spectrumReported byLeft4Center5Right2Far Right1See the outletsHide the outlets
    Left
    The Guardian, The New York Times, Bloomberg, Al Jazeera English
    Center
    Financial Times, BBC News, CNBC, Semafor, PBS NewsHour
    Right
    Washington Examiner, New York Post
    Far Right
    Breitbart News

  2. The British government says the jets will fly defensive missions and will not carry out strikes.

    Reported byLeft2Center1Right1See the outletsHide the outlets
    Left
    The Guardian, Al Jazeera English
    Center
    CNBC
    Right
    Washington Examiner

  3. Prime Minister Andy Burnham asked the Royal Air Force to fly the missions.

    One outletBloomberg· Left

  4. Houthi missile and drone attacks on Saudi Arabia in recent weeks have included strikes on oil facilities and Riyadh's main airport.

    One outletAl Jazeera English· Left

  5. Military transport aircraft are also being sent, one report says.

    One outletBreitbart News· Far Right

  6. Yemeni authorities said a Houthi strike on a Saudi-backed government training camp killed 58 people.

    One outletNew York Post· Right

How each side tells it

Compare views

All sides report that the UK is sending RAF jets to defend Saudi Arabia against Houthi attacks, flying defensive missions. The left stresses the long UK-Saudi military ties, the center reports the announcement plainly, and the right stresses the Houthis' Iran backing and a deadly strike.

  • the left

    5 outlets

    Headlines state the deployment plainly, as the UK to fly or deploy jets to protect Saudi Arabia, and Al Jazeera's headline stresses the long UK-Saudi military history.

    UK to deploy fighter jets to protect Saudi Arabia from Houthi attacks
    The GuardianLeftAll left-leaning headlines

  • the center

    6 outlets

    Headlines report the UK deploying jets to defend Saudi Arabia from Houthi attacks in plain, neutral wording, with a few stressing the defensive role or escalating strikes.

    UK to deploy jets to defend Saudi Arabia from Houthi attacks
    BBC NewsCenterAll center headlines

  • the right

    3 outlets

    Headlines report the deployment in plain wording; far right Breitbart's description calls the Houthis Islamic terrorists, and the New York Post's item is a Reuters report.

    UK deploying fighter jets to defend Saudi Arabia from Houthi attacks
    Washington ExaminerRightAll right-leaning headlines

The words they chose

Language to notice

Words that carry a judgement beyond the facts. Tap a highlighted word anywhere on the page to see why.

  • Left0

    No loaded words in its own voice.

  • Center0

    No loaded words in its own voice.

  • Right1

    Islamic terrorists

In the outlets’ own words

  • Dehumanizing label

    Islamic terroristsMore neutral: Houthi militants

    It attaches the religion of Islam to a criminal label for the whole militant group, a label the other supplied outlets do not use.

    …aircraft to defend Saudi Arabia against attacks from Iran-backed Houthi Islamic terrorists of Yemen, boosting its ally after the kingdom has been pummelled by strikes from…

    Used byBreitbart News (Far Right)

Words quoted from someone else (2)Hide the quoted words

Loaded words that outlets reported someone else saying. They show what was said, not how the outlet chose to say it.

  • Sensational language

    Quoted

    despicableMore neutral: (omit) and quote or describe

    Moral verdict in the reporter's voice.

    “The continuing attacks from the Houthis on our ally Saudi Arabia are absolutely despicable.

    Quoted byNew York Post (Right)

    Inside a quotation: the outlets are reporting someone else’s words.

  • Sensational language

    Quoted

    absolutely despicableMore neutral: unacceptable

    It is a strong moral verdict voiced by a minister, not a fact the report establishes.

    "The continuing attacks from the Houthis on our ally Saudi Arabia are absolutely despicable," British Defense Secretary Wes Streeting said.

    Quoted byDeutsche Welle (Center)

    These are Wes Streeting’s words. The outlets are reporting them.

See the full language guide

See for yourself

Side by side

What each side leads with and what it leaves out. Open a side to read its headlines.

From the left

5 outlets

Leads with

  • Defensive nature of the mission
  • Historic UK-Saudi military relationship
  • Houthi attacks on Saudi cities and infrastructure

Leaves out

  • Reported death toll of 58 in a Houthi strike
  • Military transport aircraft being dispatched

Reported by other sides, not found in this side’s coverage.

See the 5 headlines from the leftHide the headlines

From the center

6 outlets

Leads with

  • Defensive role of the jets
  • No offensive strikes
  • Escalating Houthi attacks

Leaves out

  • Prime Minister Andy Burnham's request for the missions
  • Reported death toll of 58 in a Houthi strike

Reported by other sides, not found in this side’s coverage.

See the 6 headlines from the centerHide the headlines
  • Deutsche WelleCenter

    UK fighter jets to protect Saudi Arabia from Houthi attacks

    The UK is sending military support to Saudi Arabia as Iran-aligned Houthi rebels launch repeated attacks on the kingdom.

    Read at Deutsche Welle (opens in a new tab)
  • PBS NewsHourCenter

    News Wrap: Britain sending air support to Saudi Arabia amid Houthi attacks

    In our news wrap Tuesday, British authorities say they're sending air support to Saudi Arabia to protect against missiles and drones launched by Iran-backed Houthi rebels in Yemen, Vice President Vance says he's not endorsing Benjamin Netanyahu ahead of Israeli elections and …

    Read at PBS NewsHour (opens in a new tab)
  • SemaforCenter

    UK fighter jets to defend Saudi Arabia from Houthi strikes

    The UK said Tuesday it will send fighter jets to protect Saudi Arabia’s cities and critical infrastructure from escalating aerial attacks by the Iran-backed Houthis.

    Read at Semafor (opens in a new tab)
  • CNBCCenter

    UK to deploy fighter jets to defend Saudi cities from Houthi attacks

    The U.K.'s Royal Air Force will deploy jets to assist with defensive operations, but will not engage in offensive strikes.

    Read at CNBC (opens in a new tab)
  • BBC NewsCenter

    UK to deploy jets to defend Saudi Arabia from Houthi attacks

    The UK announces it will provide additional defensive military support to Saudi Arabia as Houthi attacks escalate in the region.

    Read at BBC News (opens in a new tab)
  • Financial TimesCenter

    UK to deploy jets to defend Saudi Arabia against Houthi attacks

    Move to defend ally comes as kingdom has been pummelled by strikes from the militant group

    Read at Financial Times (opens in a new tab)

From the right

3 outlets

Leads with

  • Iran-backed nature of the Houthis
  • Incoming aerial attacks on Saudi cities
  • Houthi strike killing 58 people

Leaves out

  • Prime Minister Andy Burnham's request for the missions
  • Houthi strikes on Saudi oil facilities and Riyadh's airport

Reported by other sides, not found in this side’s coverage.

See the 3 headlines from the rightHide the headlines
  • New York PostRightReuters report

    UK will deploy Typhoon fighter jets to defend Saudi Arabia from Houthi attacks

    Inside Yemen, authorities said a Houthi strike on Monday against a training camp for Saudi-backed government security forces killed 58 people.

    Read at New York Post (opens in a new tab)
  • Washington ExaminerRight

    UK deploying fighter jets to defend Saudi Arabia from Houthi attacks

    The United Kingdom announced Tuesday that the Royal Air Force is deploying Typhoon fighter jets to fly defensive missions over Saudi Arabia as the Houthis continue attacking the Gulf state. …

    Read at Washington Examiner (opens in a new tab)
  • Breitbart NewsFar Right

    UK Dispatches Fighter Jets to Defend Saudi Arabia from Houthi Attacks

    The UK is dispatching fighter jets and military transport aircraft to defend Saudi Arabia against attacks from Iran-backed Houthi Dehumanizing label“Islamic terrorists”It attaches the religion of Islam to a criminal label for the whole militant group, a label the other supplied outlets do not use.More neutral: Houthi militantsDisagree with this highlight? of Yemen, boosting its ally after the kingdom has been pummelled by strikes from the militant group in recent weeks.

    Read at Breitbart News (opens in a new tab)

Articles you open from here build My Mix, a private picture of how your reading spreads across the spectrum, kept on this device. What is My Mix?

The left is Far Left and Left together. The right is Right and Far Right together. Every outlet keeps its own five-point rating.

Who reported it when

How the coverage built up

  • Left

    First to report

    Bloomberg, Oct 20, 6:14 AM EDT

  • Center

    31 min later

    Its first report, Oct 20, 6:45 AM EDT

  • Right

    1 hr 5 min later

    Its first report, Oct 20, 7:19 AM EDT

See the order the outlets reported inHide the order
  1. BloombergLeftOct 20, 6:14 AM EDT
  2. Financial TimesCenterOct 20, 6:45 AM EDT
  3. The GuardianLeftOct 20, 7:08 AM EDT
  4. Breitbart NewsFar RightOct 20, 7:19 AM EDT
  5. BBC NewsCenterOct 20, 7:23 AM EDT
  6. Al Jazeera EnglishLeftOct 20, 7:37 AM EDT
  7. CNBCCenterOct 20, 8:23 AM EDT
  8. The New York TimesLeftOct 20, 8:34 AM EDT
  9. Washington ExaminerRightOct 20, 10:45 AM EDT
  10. New York PostRightOct 20, 11:20 AM EDT
  11. CBS NewsLeftOct 20, 1:06 PM EDT
  12. SemaforCenterOct 20, 6:41 PM EDT
  13. PBS NewsHourCenterOct 20, 6:45 PM EDT
  14. Deutsche WelleCenterOct 20, 9:23 PM EDT

Times are the ones the outlets published in their own feeds, in Eastern time. Opinion is left out.

Read next

Help someone else find the truth beneath the surface

Most people see one side of a story. Share this one, so they can see how every side is telling it and decide for themselves.

Email it

Seen a mistake? Tell us what is wrong with this page