The UK warship HMS Dragon has departed from Portsmouth to join the UK's defensive operations in the eastern Mediterranean.
According to the Royal Navy, the Type 45 destroyer left its dock on Tuesday afternoon, after recently completing maintenance. The ship is expected to arrive in the region in about a week.
As reported by The Sun, the HMS Dragon's primary role will be to protect RAF Akrotiri, which was hit by an Iranian-made drone earlier this month. The strike caused minimal damage to a hangar on the base.
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. The very best of Britain in action."
The ship's commanding officer, Cdr Iain Griffin, stated: "My ship's company have worked tirelessly to ensure we are ready for our mission to the eastern Mediterranean."
Naval Support Ship on Standby
The RFA Lyme Bay, a naval support ship, has been placed on "heightened readiness" to support British nationals in the Middle East if needed. The ship is currently in Gibraltar and has not yet been tasked.
The Ministry of Defence stressed that the change in status was precautionary, and the primary purpose of the RFA Lyme Bay's potential deployment has not been disclosed.
Regional Tensions
The UK government has faced accusations of not responding to the crisis in the Middle East quickly enough. Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch said: "We have put bases in other people's countries, and those countries are saying we're not doing enough to help them. I think that's absolutely shocking."
Commercial flights in and out of the region are slowly resuming after many airlines cancelled services. However, British Airways has cancelled its flights to Amman, Bahrain, Doha, Dubai, and Tel Aviv up to and including 28 March.
Evacuation Efforts
The UK government has arranged evacuation flights for British citizens in the region. Around 45,000 UK citizens have been evacuated so far, with the first flight landing at Stansted on Friday.
