The British warship HMS Dragon left Portsmouth port on Tuesday to be deployed to the eastern Mediterranean amid heightened tensions in the Middle East following US and Israeli strikes against Iran.
This deployment comes more than a week after a drone attack targeting the British airbase at RAF Akrotiri, located in Cyprus. According to authorities, the drone used was of Iranian manufacture and is believed to have been launched from Lebanon or Iraq.
The British government has faced criticism for not sending a military vessel to the region more quickly. Greek and French warships had been deployed just days after Iran's initial retaliatory strikes in the Gulf.
The decision to send the destroyer HMS Dragon had been made about a week ago, but several days were needed to prepare the ship for its mission.
This delay has fueled questions in the United Kingdom about the operational readiness of the British armed forces.
HMS Dragon is expected to reinforce the British military presence in the region and contribute to maritime surveillance and security in a context of high instability linked to the conflict involving Iran and its adversaries.
