UK Deploys HMS Dragon to Middle East for Post-War Security Plan The UK Ministry of Defence announced on Saturday, May 9, the deployment of the air defense destroyer HMS Dragon to the Middle East. The move is part of a “prudent planning” effort alongside France to establish a multinational coalition aimed at restoring security in the Strait of Hormuz. This naval coordination follows the deployment of a French carrier strike group to the Red Sea and comes as European nations face a severe jet fuel crisis caused by the conflict’s impact on Middle Eastern supply lines.