UK Deploys Jets to Saudi Arabia Amid Yemen Crisis; UAE-France Ink Defense Deals

On today's Trending Middle East, the United Kingdom is dispatching Typhoon fighter jets to Saudi Arabia. These aircraft are intended to bolster the defense of Saudi cities and critical infrastructure against Houthi assaults. The Typhoons will focus on intercepting aerial threats and will not be involved in offensive strikes against the Houthis in Yemen.

Meanwhile, the United Nations has issued a warning regarding the escalating crisis in Yemen's besieged city of Taiz. Food and fuel prices have more than doubled in Taiz as fighting intensifies between Houthi forces and government troops.

In other developments, the United Arab Emirates and France have solidified their defense ties, signing a series of agreements during French President Emmanuel Macron's visit to Abu Dhabi. These deals include cooperation concerning advanced Rafale fighter jets.

Iran has asserted that Iraq has agreed to expel Iranian Kurdish opposition groups from Iraq's northern Kurdistan region. This claim follows security discussions between the two nations, though the Iraqi government has not yet confirmed the agreement.

Additionally, a new agreement between Abu Dhabi's Mubadala Bio and the US pharmaceutical company Eli Lilly will see the weight-loss drugs Mounjaro and Foundayo packaged within the UAE. Trending Middle East is an AI-assisted program, utilizing original reporting from The National, which is then curated and edited by humans.