Navy to protect ships through Strait of Hormuz amid tensions over US strike

The Royal Navy will accompany ships through the Strait of Hormuz amid soaring tensions in the Middle East, following the US’s fatal drone strike on Iran’s top general.

The imminent move to protect UK-flagged ships came on Saturday as the Foreign Office was strengthening its travel warnings across the region as fears of all-out war heightened.

Tehran was vowing harsh retaliation after President Donald Trump authorised the killing of General Qassem Soleimani, and the US dispatched 3,000 extra troops to Kuwait.

Defence Secretary Ben Wallace continued to urge “all parties” to de-escalate the situation, but appeared to give some backing to the US for the first time as he announced the shipping plan.

He said he had instructed the HMS Montrose frigate and the HMS Defender destroyer to return to the key oil passage imminently, adding: “The Government will take all necessary steps to protect our ships and citizens at this time.”

After speaking to his US counterpart Mark Esper on Friday, Mr Wallace said American forces have been “repeatedly attacked by Iranian-backed militia” in Iraq during “the last few months”.

“General Soleimani has been at the heart of the use of proxies to undermine neighbouring sovereign nations and target Iran’s enemies,” Mr Wallace continued.

“Under international law the United States is entitled to defend itself against those posing an imminent threat to their citizens.”

The difference this time, the Ministry of Defence was keen to stress, is UK ships now have a choice to navigate the waters without an escort at their own risk.

The Foreign Office was advising citizens not to travel to Iraq, apart from essential travel to its Kurdistan region, while all but essential travel to Iran is warned against.

Alerts regarding other Middle East nations were also being increased, with calls to “remain vigilant” in countries including Afghanistan, Israel, Lebanon, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates.

Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab said the bolstered advice was issued due to “heightened tensions in the region” and would be kept under review.

Labour’s John McDonnell condemned the Government’s response to “this act of aggression, this escalation towards war” when he joined protesters outside Downing Street.

The shadow chancellor told the crowd with the Stop the War Coalition: “It was acts like this that led us to the catastrophic war in Iraq.

“It’s so (easy) to happen as a result of the foreign policy of aggressive imperialism that the US now has resorted to yet again under Donald Trump.

“And it’s not good enough for the UK Government just to appeal for a de-escalation, what we expect the UK Government to do is to come out in total and outright condemnation of this act of violence.”

The US president said he ordered the killing to prevent a conflict, but Tehran has vowed harsh retaliation – raising fears of an all-out war.

Soleimani masterminded Tehran’s regional security strategy, including the war against the Islamic State terror group, and was blamed for attacks on US and allied troops.

Mr Trump continued with his rhetoric despite widespread calls for calm, saying that Soleimani’s “reign of terror is over” and describing him as having a “sick passion” for killing.

Former foreign secretary Jeremy Hunt described an “incredibly dangerous game of chicken” between the US and Iran, which has simmered since Mr Trump tore up a nuclear deal between them.

Mr Hunt told BBC Radio 4’s Today programme the tensions created a “very difficult situation” for the UK as an ally of the US, adding Britain “cannot afford to be neutral”.

There has been criticism of the US for not giving advance notice of the attack to the UK, which has hundreds of troops deployed in Iraq.

Mr Hunt said the failure to notify was “regrettable” because allies should ensure “there are no surprises in the relationship”.

Jeremy Corbyn wrote to the Prime Minister calling for an urgent meeting of the Privy Council, the group that advises the monarch.

The outgoing Labour leader wanted to know if the “assassination” had heightened the terror risk to the UK and whether the Government had been informed of the decision to strike.

He had earlier called on ministers to stand up to the US’s “belligerent actions and rhetoric” and urged restraint from both aggressors.