Iran: HMS Dragon transits through Suez Canal as she heads to Middle East from Cyprus - in pictures

A Portsmouth-based Royal Navy warship has transited through the Suez Canal en-route to the Middle East.

Type 45 destroyer HMS Dragon conducted the southern bound passage through the world’s busiest shipping lane. She was previously deployed in the eastern Mediterranean after Britain’s RAF Akrotiri base was hit by a kamikaze drone, leaving Portsmouth on March 10.

Since then, the ship’s company have conducted a series of training serials and drills in the region. Before proceeding to the Middle East, the warship was stationed alongside Limassol in Cyprus on May 2. The ship’s company were put through their paces to maintain operational readiness.

HMS Dragon is being pre-positioned in the Middle East and will be part of a larger multinational force - primarily organised by France - that could be assigned to keep the Strait of Hormuz open. The strategic waterway, where 20 per cent of the world’s crude oil and liquified natural gas flows through, has been kept in a stranglehold from Iran since the war with the Us-Israeli coalition began in February.

Mines have been laid and commercial ships previously attacked in retaliation to various bombing raids from the US-Israeli coalition. US President Donald Trump recently said he will hold off another planned attack against Iran at the request of Gulf allies.

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He added he had been told the agreement would be “very acceptable” to the US and would mean “no nuclear weapons for Iran”, but warned that he had instructed US forces to prepare for “a full, large-scale assault of Iran, on a moment’s notice” in case a deal was not struck.

As previously reported in The News, the Ministry of Defence (MoD) said multinational force with HMS Dragon will only conduct purely defensive operations. Manoeuvres in the Strait of Hormuz will only happen when conditions allow, they added.

HMS Dragon will be supported by RAF Typhoon jets equipped with a new anti-drone missile system, counter drone ships, mine clearance capabilities and other equipment. Defence secretary John Healey said: “The UK is playing a leading role to secure the Strait of Hormuz, and we are demonstrating that today with new cutting-edge kit to protect our interests and secure the Strait.

“New funding for autonomous mine-hunting and counter-drone systems, our advanced Typhoon jets, and HMS Dragon are strong and clear commitments – commitments to strengthen the confidence of commercial shipping and reduce the burden of the conflict on people at home. With our allies, this multinational mission will be defensive, independent, and credible.”