A British warship is headed to the Middle East for a potential multinational mission to protect shipping in the Strait of Hormuz.
HMS Dragon, a type 45 destroyer, will be ready to join an initiative led by NATO allies, France and the U.K., after hostilities cease between Iran and US-Israeli forces, the U.K. government has said.
“We can confirm that HMS Dragon will deploy to the Middle East to pre-position ahead of any future multinational mission to protect international shipping when conditions allow them to transit the Strait of Hormuz, a Ministry of Defence spokesman said.
“The pre-positioning of HMS Dragon is part of prudent planning that will ensure that the UK is ready, as part of a multinational coalition jointly led by the UK and France, to secure the strait, when conditions allow.”
The plan to ensure freedom of navigation in the strait has been championed by French President Emmanuel Macron and British Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer.
This is a developing story. More to follow.
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