British naval personnel aboard the RFA Lyme Bay, currently stationed near Gibraltar, are standing by for a potential mine-clearing operation in the Strait of Hormuz, though the mission remains uncertain pending ongoing peace negotiations.
Following criticism from U.S. President Donald Trump that allies haven’t contributed enough to America’s military efforts against Iran, which has effectively blocked the crucial shipping route and caused energy costs to spike globally, Trump challenged NATO partners in March to “go get your own oil” and secure the waterway independently.
From Gibraltar, a British territory at the southern edge of the Iberian Peninsula, the Royal Navy is making preparations for exactly that mission — though deployment will only occur after a peace settlement is finalized. Trump announced Saturday that negotiations with Iran have been “largely negotiated” following discussions with Israel and regional partners, though final details remain outstanding.
Armed Forces Minister Al Carns brought a select group of journalists to tour the RFA Lyme Bay while it prepares for a potential multinational operation, spearheaded by Britain and France, to restore security to the strait. During Carns’ briefing, crews were loading the amphibious vessel with munitions and sonar-equipped underwater drones designed for mine detection.
The RFA Lyme Bay, carrying several hundred crew members, will eventually leave Gibraltar to rendezvous with the destroyer HMS Dragon and partner vessels for aerial support before transiting the Suez Canal toward the Persian Gulf.
“Which other country can pull together 40 nations and come up with a solution to deal with a complex problem that we couldn’t predict because we weren’t involved?” Carns responded when The Associated Press questioned what Trump expects from Britain as an ally.
Following the U.S.-Israeli military action that commenced February 28, Iran responded by essentially sealing off the strait, a vital passage for regional oil, natural gas and fertilizer exports, creating worldwide economic disruption. Britain has particularly faced Trump’s criticism, with the president calling the British fleet “toys” and comparing Prime Minister Keir Starmer unfavorably to “Winston Churchill.”
According to Carns, no fewer than 6,000 vessels have been prevented from transiting the strait since hostilities started.
Cmdr. Gemma Britton, who leads the Royal Navy’s Mine and Threat Exploitation Group, explained that Iran might have deployed a “huge” array of explosive devices throughout the waterway. These weapons could include rocket-powered mines, tethered explosives, or seabed devices activated by acoustic signals, motion, or illumination.
Journalists were shown unmanned systems capable of mapping the ocean floor and water column using sonar technology in roughly half the time required for manned vessels to survey and chart potential hazards. These robotic craft generate detailed images of underwater objects, from commercial fishing equipment to infrastructure pipelines. These visuals help identify explosive devices that can then be investigated using sophisticated sound-based detection and camera systems, Britton explained.
Several systems aboard the RFA Lyme Bay can be deployed on smaller craft that launch and operate independently from the main vessel, which serves as a command platform positioned safely away from suspected minefields, according to Britton. This approach minimizes personnel exposure to danger.
Traditional mine disposal involves divers manually attaching explosive charges to detected mines before retreating to trigger detonation. However, the RFA Lyme Bay is testing remote-controlled submersibles that can descend and position charges near mines before activating them from a safe distance, Britton noted.
The immediate objective will focus on establishing a clear transit corridor through the strait to enable approximately 700 stranded ships to depart. Subsequently, crews will open a reverse-direction lane for incoming vessels, though Britton cautioned that completely clearing the entire waterway could require months or even years.
Whether mines actually exist in the strait — or whether Britain and its partners will ultimately deploy to remove them — remains unclear.
When AP asked if the British preparations were primarily theatrical, intended to improve relations with America, Carns acknowledged that some mines may have already exploded or drifted away, but noted that such uncertainty fails to satisfy commercial insurance providers. These companies require “absolute certainty” before authorizing vessel passage through the strait again.
“That’s what this capability will provide,” he stated.
The multinational strait security mission would only proceed after fighting concludes.
“Final aspects and details of the Deal are currently being discussed, and will be announced shortly,” Trump posted Saturday on social media, without specifying a timeline.
Recent weeks have seen multiple claims that an agreement was near completion.
“We don’t know when the Americans, Iranians and Israelis are going to come up with a suitable solution,” Carns acknowledged.
Until then, the RFA Lyme Bay and its personnel will remain on standby and will be “really, really ready,” Carns assured.
