UK Leads 40-Nation Defensive Mission to Secure Strait of Hormuz

The United Kingdom is significantly expanding its military commitment to securing the Strait of Hormuz, announcing Tuesday that it will deploy autonomous mine-hunting systems, counter-drone technology, Typhoon fighter jets, and the Royal Navy destroyer HMS Dragon as part of a future multinational maritime security mission.

The announcement came during a virtual summit of defense ministers representing more than 40 nations involved in what British officials described as a “strictly defensive” multinational mission aimed at restoring confidence in commercial shipping through one of the world’s most strategically important waterways.

The mission, led jointly by the UK and France, would become operational