India, Sept. 22 -- UK Prime Minister Andy Burnham has approved military support for Saudi Arabia as Yemen's Houthi rebels continue attacks on the kingdom. Britain will provide "defensive air-to-air refuelling" for Saudi aircraft under a request from Riyadh, Burnham said Monday.

Speaking to reporters while travelling to New York for the United Nations General Assembly, Burnham said he approved the request after receiving advice from UK defence secretary Wes Streeting and foreign secretary Ed Miliband.

"We have received a request from the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia for military support, and on the advice of the defence secretary and the foreign secretary, last night I agreed to that request for defensive air-to-air refuelling," he told The I...