Britain said on Saturday it was deploying its warship HMS Dragon to the Middle East in preparation for a potential multinational effort to protect shipping in the Strait of Hormuz once conditions allow.
HMS Dragon, an air defense destroyer, was sent to the Eastern Mediterranean in March, shortly after the start of the Iran war, to help defend Cyprus.
Its relocation to the Middle East follows France's deployment of its carrier strike group to the southern Red Sea, as the two countries work together on a defensive plan to restore confidence in the trade route.
"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 spokesperson for Britain's Ministry of Defense said.
UK to send warship to Middle East
As the US and Iran inch toward a potential off-ramp from their 10-week war, France and Britain have been working on a proposal to lay the groundwork for safe transit through the Strait once the situation stabilizes.
The plan would require coordination with Iran, and a dozen countries have indicated a willingness to participate.
Britain's ability to participate in any protective mission will be limited by the stretched Royal Navy, which is much smaller now than in the past and has had to retire some ships before replacements became available.
This comes as the US Central Command (CENTCOM) continues its blockade of Iranian ports.
"As of today, CENTCOM forces have redirected 58 commercial vessels and disabled 4 since April 13 to prevent the ships from entering or leaving Iranian ports," CENTCOM stated in a post on X/Twitter.