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Around 200 Royal Air Force (RAF) servicemen and eight Typhoon jets are now in Saudi Arabia taking part in a pre-planned exercise to help the Royal Saudi Air Forces (RSAF) maintain its combat readiness.

Major General Haidar bin Rafie Al-Omari of the RSAF said: “The British Royal Air Force aims to integrate all combat systems, including air combat, air support and electronic warfare, and especially how to use them against the enemy’s land defence systems for maximum operational efficiency.”

The drills will finish on December 11 and come amid an international scandal over the killing of journalist Jamal Khashoggi inside a Saudi embassy in Istanbul, Turkey.

London has not taken any action against Saudi Arabia yet but said it is ready to impose sanctions if evidence points to Riyadh’s direct involvement.

(Image: GETTY)

(Image: GETTY)

This is despite condemning evidence from the CIA that Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman ordered the assassination.

Washington Post journalist Jamal Khashoggi was a frequent critic of the Saudi regime.

Riyadh denied responsibility but the CIA has now concluded with high confidence that the prince knew about the killing, the Washington Post reported.

The CIA assessment is based on the conclusion the Prince is the country’s de facto ruler who oversees even minor affairs and therefore is likely to have played a role.

(Image: GETTY)

A US official told the Washington Post: “The accepted position is that there is no way this happened without him being aware or involved.”

Foreign Secretary Jeremy Hunt said there needs to be a credible explanation of the killing before the UK acts “accordingly”.

He said: “We have an important strategic partnership with Saudi Arabia involving defence and security co-operation which has saved lives on the streets of Britain.”

The UK has also been blasted for its continued arms sales to Saudi Arabia as it conducts its brutal war in Yemen.

(Image: GETTY)

Recent estimates put the death toll at 56,000 people and the UK has sold £4.7 billion worth of arms.

The Tornado GR4 ground attack fighters and Eurofighter Typhoons play a crucial role for the Saudi’s air campaign in Yemen.

The Telegraph reported this year: “Riyadh has twice as many British-made warplanes at its disposal for its bombing campaign in Yemen than those that are available for the entire Royal Air Force.”