Britain is preparing to deploy a squadron of RAF Typhoon fighter jets based in Qatar to patrol the Strait of Hormuz as part of a growing multinational effort to restore freedom of navigation in the strategically vital waterway once the conflict between the United States, Israel, and Iran comes to an end. The proposal was central to discussions at a two-day, 30-country meeting held at the UK's Northwood military headquarters, co-organised by Britain and France, which concluded on Thursday.
The Typhoons — eight of which are currently stationed in Qatar, where they played an active role in shooting down Iranian Shahed drones during the 38-day war — would be tasked with providing aerial cover for oil tankers and merchant shipping. British military planners also offered mine-hunting drones and specialist divers to help clear the strait, which Iran mined during the conflict. No decision has yet been made on whether the warship HMS Dragon or another Royal Navy vessel would also be deployed. UK Defence Secretary John Healey, who attended part of the meeting, called on planners to develop "practical military options" and "a coordinated joint plan to safeguard freedom of navigation in the strait," in a joint statement issued alongside his French counterpart, Catherine Vautrin.
The Strait of Hormuz, a narrow waterway between Iran and Oman connecting the Persian Gulf to the Arabian Sea, is one of the world's most critical chokepoints for oil and gas exports. Britain and France have made clear they will not participate in any military operation to force the strait open while fighting continues, but are willing to act under a peace deal or sustainable ceasefire. Among the nations represented at the Northwood meeting were Germany, Norway, South Korea, and Australia. South Korea's President Lee Jae Myung, who attended a virtual multilateral summit on the issue, pledged "substantive contributions" to freedom of navigation, with Seoul indicating it is weighing diplomatic, humanitarian, and military options — including information-sharing — consistent with its domestic legal procedures.
The initiative comes amid pointed scrutiny of British military readiness. The Royal Navy has faced criticism after the UK's Akrotiri airbase in Cyprus was struck by a drone on the second day of the war, and HMS Dragon only arrived in theatre three weeks later, having been pulled from dry dock — several days after France and other allies had already dispatched warships to the region. US President Donald Trump has also been publicly ambivalent about allied involvement, at times urging other countries to help reopen the strait and at others suggesting American forces could manage alone; he previously dismissed Britain's aircraft carriers as "toys." Against that backdrop, British military leadership has shifted emphasis toward air power, with the Royal Air Force taking on a more prominent role than the navy in the country's regional posture.