UK Sends HMS Dragon to West Asia to Safeguard Shipping in Strait of Hormuz

The United Kingdom on Saturday said it will deploy destroyer HMS Dragon to West Asia as part of contingency preparations for a possible multinational mission aimed at protecting commercial shipping through the Strait of Hormuz.

“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,” a UK defence ministry spokesperson told AFP.

The ministry said the deployment would help reassure commercial shipping operators and aid mine-clearance operations in the aftermath of the recent conflict in the region.

The development follows discussions between Britain and France last month on plans for a joint-led maritime security mission in the Strait of Hormuz, one of the world’s most strategically important shipping routes.

AFP reported that military planners from over 44 countries attended a two-day meeting in London in April to discuss the logistics and operational framework of the proposed coalition mission to ensure safe navigation through the waterway.

Meanwhile, China on Saturday called on regional countries to take “concrete steps” to restore uninterrupted passage through the Strait of Hormuz and ensure the safety of civilian ships and crews after reports of an attack on a Chinese-owned oil tanker near the area.

Chinese media reported that a tanker marked “CHINA OWNER & CREW” was attacked near the strategic waterway earlier this week. Chinese nationals were on board the vessel, though no casualties were reported.

In a separate incident on Friday, an Indian sailor was killed and several others were injured after a wooden dhow carrying Indian crew members caught fire near the Strait of Hormuz.