Britain's navy prepares to clear mines in the Strait of Hormuz while waiting for a peace deal

Aboard the RFA Lyme Bay off Gibraltar, hundreds of British sailors await a potential mine-clearing deployment to the Strait of Hormuz, contingent on a peace agreement. The ship is being loaded with ammunition and mine-hunting drones equipped with sonar, and will join with the Royal Navy’s HMS Dragon and allied units before heading through the Suez Canal to the Persian Gulf. UK officials describe the operation as multinational, led by Britain and France, aimed at reopening a choke point that has disrupted global trade since the conflict escalated. Prime Minister Trump has pressed NATO allies to shoulder more responsibility, while Iran’s actions have effectively closed the strait, risking further energy-price surges as more ships enter a minefield environment.