UK to Deploy Warship to Middle East Ahead of Possible Hormuz Mission

Darwin, 10 May : The United Kingdom will deploy a destroyer warship to the Middle East ahead of a possible international mission aimed at securing navigation through the Strait of Hormuz. Britain’s Ministry of Defence announced the move on Saturday.

According to AFP, a spokesperson for the British defence ministry said from London, “The early deployment of HMS Dragon is part of precautionary planning. It will ensure that, should conditions allow, the UK is ready to help secure the strait as part of a UK- and France-led multinational coalition.”

Last month, Britain and France said military planning for protecting the Strait of Hormuz was in its final stages and expressed confidence that the mission would help restore commercial shipping through the strategically important waterway.

The Ministry of Defence said the deployment of HMS Dragon would help boost confidence in commercial maritime traffic and support mine-clearing operations once the conflict ends.

More than 44 countries took part in a two-day meeting in London in April, where military planners discussed practical arrangements for ensuring safe passage through the key maritime route under a multinational mission led by the UK and France.

Reports suggest that around 40 countries have agreed to participate in the proposed mission to normalize shipping operations in the Strait of Hormuz.

Before the US-Israel war against Iran began on February 28, nearly one-fifth of the world’s oil supply passed through the strait.

However, shipping flows have dropped significantly in recent months after Iran effectively shut down the waterway, triggering instability in global energy markets and driving up oil prices. In response, the United States imposed its own blockade on Iranian ports.

On Saturday, Iran also questioned the sincerity of US diplomatic efforts to establish a ceasefire following renewed naval clashes in the Gulf region.

In an incident on Friday, US warplanes struck and disabled two Iranian-flagged oil tankers. Washington claimed the vessels were challenging the blockade of Iranian ports. Iran later launched retaliatory attacks.

Tensions had already escalated in the Strait of Hormuz from Thursday night into early Friday, with Iran reportedly attempting to impose tolls on foreign vessels and using the strait as a means of economic pressure against the United States and its allies.