The UK warship HMS Dragon has departed from Portsmouth for the eastern Mediterranean, where it will join the UK's defensive operations in the region.
The Type 45 destroyer, which recently underwent maintenance, will be the UK's first and only warship in the region when it arrives in about a week.
According to the Royal Navy, HMS Dragon's primary role will be protecting RAF Akrotiri, which was hit with an Iranian-made drone earlier this month.
Defence Secretary Statement
Defence Secretary John Healey praised the efforts of the Royal Navy in preparing HMS Dragon for deployment, saying: "What is normally six weeks of work was completed in just six days - a remarkable effort delivered round the clock.
HMS Dragon is armed with Sea Viper missiles and will be assisted by Wildcat helicopters from the 815 Naval Air Squadron equipped with Martlet missiles capable of taking out aerial drones.
Additional Military Assets
The RFA Lyme Bay, a naval support ship, has been placed on "heightened readiness" to be sent to support British nationals in the Middle East if needed.
The Ministry of Defence has also confirmed that three Wildcat helicopters with anti-drone capabilities have arrived in Cyprus, alongside a Merlin helicopter.
Regional Tensions
The UK government has faced accusations of not responding to the crisis in the Middle East quickly enough, with Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch saying: "We have put bases in other people's countries, and those countries are saying we're not doing enough to help them.
Commercial flights in and out of the region are slowly resuming after many airlines cancelled services, with the UK government arranging evacuation flights for British citizens in the region.
