British naval forces are preparing for a possible UK and French-led mission to secure the Strait of Hormuz following months of disruption to global shipping during the Iran conflict. The operation remains on standby as diplomats continue efforts to finalise a peace agreement between the United States, Israel and Iran…reports Asian Lite News Desk
Hundreds of British sailors aboard the RFA Lyme Bay are preparing for a possible deployment to the Strait of Hormuz as the United Kingdom and its allies consider a major mine-clearing operation in the strategically vital waterway.
The amphibious support vessel is currently docked off Gibraltar, where Royal Navy personnel are loading ammunition and autonomous mine-hunting systems ahead of a potential mission to reopen one of the world’s most important shipping routes.
The operation remains uncertain and would only proceed after a formal agreement is reached to end hostilities linked to the conflict involving the United States, Israel and Iran.
US President Donald Trump has repeatedly criticised allies for not doing more to support efforts in the region after Iran effectively closed the Strait of Hormuz following the outbreak of war on February 28.
The strait is a key route for global oil, natural gas and fertiliser shipments, and disruption there has contributed to rising energy prices and widespread shipping delays.
In March, Trump urged NATO allies to take greater responsibility for securing the route, saying they should “go get your own oil” and protect shipping interests themselves.
Britain’s Armed Forces Minister Al Carns invited a small group of reporters aboard the RFA Lyme Bay during preparations for what could become an international operation led by the UK and France.
The vessel is expected to link up with the destroyer HMS Dragon and other allied ships before travelling through the Suez Canal towards the Arabian Gulf if deployment orders are given.
“Which other country can pull together 40 nations and come up with a solution to deal with a complex problem that we couldn’t predict because we weren’t involved?” Carns said when asked about Trump’s demands on Britain and its allies.
According to Carns, around 6,000 ships have been prevented from passing through the strait since the conflict began.
Royal Navy specialists said Iran could pose a wide range of underwater threats in the area, including seabed mines, rocket-propelled devices and mines triggered by sound, movement or light.
Commander Gemma Britton, who leads the Royal Navy’s Mine and Threat Exploitation Group, demonstrated autonomous sea drones equipped with sonar systems capable of scanning the seabed and identifying possible explosives.
The remotely operated systems can detect underwater objects including pipelines, fishing equipment and suspected mines before relaying detailed images back to operators.
Some of the equipment can be deployed from smaller autonomous craft launched from the RFA Lyme Bay, allowing the main vessel to remain outside potentially dangerous areas.
Britton said the technology reduces the need for sailors and divers to enter active minefields directly.
The ship is also trialling remotely operated underwater vehicles capable of placing explosive charges beside mines before detonating them from a distance.
Britton said the initial priority would be to clear a single transit lane to allow approximately 700 stranded ships to leave the strait safely. A second lane would then be cleared for incoming vessels.
She warned that fully clearing the entire strait could take months or even years depending on the scale of any underwater threats.
Despite the preparations, British officials acknowledged there remains uncertainty over whether mines have actually been deployed in the strait.
Asked whether the military build-up was partly intended to reassure the United States politically, Carns said some mines may already have been destroyed or drifted away but commercial shipping insurers still required certainty before allowing traffic to resume.
“That’s what this capability will provide,” he said.
Trump said on Saturday that a peace deal involving Iran had been “largely negotiated” following discussions with Israel and regional allies, though he provided no timetable for completion.
“We don’t know when the Americans, Iranians and Israelis are going to come up with a suitable solution,” Carns said.
Until then, the RFA Lyme Bay and its crew remain on standby in Gibraltar, preparing for possible deployment at short notice.
In the meantime, Carns said the crew would remain “really, really ready.”
