Type 45 air-defence destroyer HMS Diamond (D34) photographed by Brian Burnell inbound to Portsmouth Naval Base at 10.19 GMT on 17 June 2016. By Brian Burnell, via Wikimedia.
On November 30, the United Kingdom announced the deployment of a warship to the Persian Gulf in response to escalating tensions in the Middle East over the ongoing Israeli war on the Palestinian Gaza Strip.
“HMS Diamond is en route to join Operation Kipion, the UK’s maritime presence in the Gulf and the Indian Ocean,” Defense Secretary Grant Shapps announced, adding that “recent events have proven how critical the Middle East remains to global security and stability.”
“From joint efforts to deter escalation, following the onset of the renewed conflict in Israel and Gaza, to now the unlawful and brazen seizure of MV Galaxy Leader by the Houthis in the Red Sea – it is critical that the UK bolsters our presence in the region, to keep Britain and our interests safe from a more volatile and contested world,” he said.
The seizure of Galaxy Leader, which is partly owned by an Israeli businessman, dealt a serious blow to the shipping sector in Israel.
ZIM Integrated Shipping Services, a global container liner shipping company based in the Israeli port city of Haifa, said on November 27 that it was taking temporary proactive measures to ensure the safety of its crews, vessels and customers’ cargo by re-routing some of its vessels.
The HMS Lancaster, a Type 45 destroyer like HMS Diamond, has been stationed in the Gulf since last year, accompanied by three Royal Navy minehunters.
The UK announcement comes amid a temporary ceasefire in Gaza, extended late on November 29 for one more day. The move also follows in the footsteps of the United States, which has bolstered its naval presence in the region since the outbreak of the war in Gaza with two carrier strike groups.
