The British Royal Navy is sending the fearsome HMS Dragon destroyer to the Middle East to participate in an international operation aimed at safeguarding the shipping lanes in the Strait of Hormuz.
The HMS Dragon is one of the Type 45 destroyers specially built by the British Navy for air defense and missile interception operations. It will be deployed in the Middle East region in a move called “pre-deployment”. The British Navy describes the HMS Dragon air defense missile destroyer as “one of the most advanced warships in the world”.
The primary mission of the HMS Dragon is air defense: utilizing the formidable Sea Viper air defense missile system to detect, identify, and eliminate enemy threats, providing protection for other vessels, as stated by the British Navy.
A spokesperson for the UK Ministry of Defence mentioned that the pre-deployment of the HMS Dragon destroyer is part of a prudent plan aimed at ensuring that the UK is prepared to secure the Strait of Hormuz in collaboration with a multinational alliance led by the UK and France when conditions permit.
The Ministry of Defence says that the new mission in the Middle East “provides more options for the UK armed forces to participate in the multinational defense mission in the Strait of Hormuz”.
Prime Minister Keir Starmer stated that the maritime security operation will only commence once the conflicts in the Middle East are resolved.
Following the outbreak of the Iran conflict, the HMS Dragon destroyer was deployed to the Eastern Mediterranean in March to assist in protecting the UK’s airbase in Cyprus. Previously, the RAF Akrotiri airbase in Cyprus had come under attack by Iranian drones.
Last month, a meeting was held by 51 countries to discuss how to ensure the safe passage of commercial ships in the Strait of Hormuz. After the meeting, Starmer stated that dozens of countries have expressed willingness to contribute resources to this joint action.
The office of French President Macron announced on Wednesday (May 6) that the French aircraft carrier Charles de Gaulle is heading towards the southern Red Sea, possibly for an operation to reopen the Strait of Hormuz.
According to Agence France-Presse citing Macron’s office, the objective is to send a signal that “we are not only prepared to ensure the security of the Strait of Hormuz, but we also have the capability to do so”.
Since the end of February, when the US and Israel launched a joint military operation against Iran to pressure them to abandon their nuclear program, shipping in the Strait of Hormuz has almost come to a standstill. Iran has attacked ships passing through this crucial international waterway and claimed to have planted mines in the area. The US has condemned Iran for using the waterway to extort the global community.