Britain and France launch mission to secure Strait of Hormuz within days

A multinational fleet of warships is expected to arrive in the Strait of Hormuz within days to protect commercial shipping from threats from Iran, the National said.

Western defense officials said Britain and France would command naval forces and work closely with Oman to secure the vital waterway.

The launch of the mission in Omani waters was confirmed after France and the UK issued a joint statement. British Prime Minister Keir Starmer and French President Emmanuel Macron said restoring safe public transport was a “global concern.”

“The Sultanate of Oman has agreed to work with the United Kingdom and France to ensure safe navigation in Oman’s territorial waters,” the joint statement said. “The UK and France are also prepared to deploy a wider multinational military mission to support freedom of navigation in the Strait of Hormuz.”

Belgium, one of the first NATO countries to confirm in March it would participate in the Franco-British-led mission, declined to confirm the date. “No political decision has yet been made on this topic,” the Belgian Ministry of Defense told The National.

With a number of NATO warships already stationed in the Arabian Sea, it is understood the newest fleet could be quickly deployed for operations.

The core mission is to clear about 80 landmines that Iran has laid in the 34km-wide strait since the start of the US-led war in February.

The move comes as European NATO members are expected to try to appease U.S. President Donald Trump at a summit in Ankara, Turkey, which begins Tuesday.

President Trump has repeatedly criticized NATO for failing to provide assistance in Hormuz. It is still unlikely that the entire alliance will embark on a new mission. However, the naval operation will involve large-scale NATO participation, with up to 19 member states contributing to deployment or funding.

Macron’s aide said, “There was awareness in the United States about the war going on in Iran and the situation in the Strait of Hormuz. Of course, it was not a situation chosen by the Europeans, but the Americans saw this as a lack of solidarity among the Europeans.”

The situation in the Strait of Hormuz will be discussed by members of the Istanbul Cooperation Initiative (UAE, Bahrain, Kuwait and Qatar) at a meeting on Wednesday night.

fleet assembly

Western officials told The National that a task force would soon be formed.

“We expect the announcement to lead to full opening of the channel and movement of ships within a few days,” the source said. “Once it is announced, things will move very quickly.

“The main task is to reassure seafarers and shipping companies that the Strait of Hormuz is mine-free and that we are supporting them to reopen it.”

After the ceasefire in mid-June, waterway traffic gradually resumed, but recovery was uneven due to landmine issues, security issues, and insurance issues. More than 100 oil tankers and hundreds of other vessels are reportedly awaiting escort to transit the strait.

The United States has not said whether U.S. forces in the region will provide support, but the operation is expected to include warships and minesweepers from NATO member countries including Germany, the Netherlands, Belgium and Norway. “There are numerous countries that will contribute to this,” the source said.

Starmer said the operation would include “supporting mine clearance in collaboration with Oman and Iran where support is needed and conditions permit.”

Mine Hunter Mothership

Although France has withdrawn its carrier strike force from the region, the mission is expected to rely on specialist minefighters, destroyers, frigates and support ships.

The UK’s main asset will be the Royal Fleet Auxiliary Ship Lyme Bay, which will be used for the first time as a “mine-hunting mothership” with an array of drones capable of finding and destroying weapons. They will be joined by mine-clearing divers and Merlin helicopters equipped with warfare and surveillance equipment.

The anti-aircraft destroyer HMS Dragon will provide strong ground support along with French frigates, destroyers and minesweepers.

‘Gift from Iran’

A ‘coalition of the willing’ of 38 countries expressed political support for the proposed mission at a meeting of defense ministers in May, but not all pledged to supply the ships.

The Allied forces, which included Italian, Danish and Canadian ships, are depicted as strictly defensive. In addition to detecting and neutralizing mines, it will provide merchant shipping protection, air defense and coordination with Omani authorities.

But Tom Sharp, a former British naval commander who regularly transits the Channel on warships, said the safe crossing was a gift from Iran because it still had drones, fast attack craft and anti-ship cruise missiles that could threaten ships.

“It is important to work with Oman because Iran’s statement of opposition to all of this is very aggressive about intervention by non-local states. But these forces can reassure shipping companies, provide options and perhaps make Iran think twice about its actions.”

Nick Hopton, a former ambassador to Iran, said the agreement between Tehran and Washington now requires “making waterways safe for international traffic.”

“The UK and France are well placed to lead this effort, given their maritime capabilities and the fact that they are not parties to the war,” said a senior fellow at the Rusi think tank. “The UK has had a very close relationship with the Sultanate of Oman for a long time and we can work closely with them to ensure that any arrangements are agreed for the future of the strait and that they respect international law governing free passage.”

The Allies are expected to use Oman’s Duqm port as a major logistics hub, leveraging the Royal Navy’s existing support base and the port’s extensive repair facilities. It can operate forward from facilities in Muscat, Sohar or Oman on the Musandam Peninsula.

middle ground

During a visit to London after a visit to Paris last week, Sultan Haitham of Oman assured that he would continue to uphold the laws of the sea. This ensures freedom of navigation and unhindered right of passage. Countries bordering the strait are also not expected to disrupt transit traffic.

There were concerns in Paris that Oman was considering imposing a fee along with Iran, but differences of opinion quickly emerged between the two countries over the approved route. Oman and Iran face each other across the Strait of Hormuz.

Oman is under great pressure from the international community to find a way out of the situation as Iran is still intent on imposing fees. Although a 60-day free passage period was agreed on June 18 in the Iran-US memorandum of understanding, it remains unclear what happens next.

Iran’s Deputy Foreign Minister Kazem Gharibabadi issued a statement calling the joint statement issued by Britain and France on Friday a “serious warning.”

“Iran, as a responsible power and guarantor of the security of the Straits, is sensitively alerted to any military movements in this waterway,” he said, clearly referring to the joint French-British naval operation.

Oman is said to have proposed a middle ground to France, but the specifics of the proposal remain secret. This appears to be similar to the system established between Indonesia, Malaysia and Singapore in the Strait of Malacca. The fund collects voluntary donations for safe navigation and charges ships for necessary navigation and security services.

To date, neither Iran, Oman nor any other country has requested changes to the Traffic Separation Scheme, a maritime traffic management system managed by the International Maritime Organization.

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