UK to send drones, jets and warships on mission to secure Strait of Hormuz

(Patria) - The United Kingdom has announced it will contribute autonomous mine detection equipment, Typhoon fighter jets, and the warship HMS Dragon to a multinational defence mission aimed at securing ships in the Strait of Hormuz, Reuters reported.

Defence Secretary John Healey announced this during a virtual summit with more than forty colleagues from other countries involved in the mission, which he said would become operational when conditions allowed.

"With our allies, this multinational mission will be defensive, independent, and credible," he said in a statement.

The war in Iran has severely restricted traffic through the Strait of Hormuz, disrupting oil exports and increasing energy prices. About a fifth of the world's oil passes through the strait.

The UK's contribution will be supported by £115 million ($155.53 million) in new funding for mine-detection drones and counter-drone systems, as London seeks to reassure commercial shipping of its commitment to freedom of navigation amid heightened regional tensions.

The package will include autonomous systems for detecting and clearing naval mines, fast drones, Typhoon jets for air patrols, and HMS Dragon, an air defence destroyer already en route to the Middle East.

The UK already has more than 1,000 personnel deployed in the region as part of existing defence operations, including counter-drone teams and fast jet squadrons.