Reuters has learned about the transfer of the British destroyer HMS Dragon to the Middle East

Britain is relocating the destroyer HMS Dragon from the Mediterranean Sea to the Middle East in preparation for the Anglo-French mission to protect shipping in the Strait of Hormuz, Reuters writes, citing a statement from the country's Ministry of Defense.

"The pre—deployment of HMS Dragon is part of sound planning that will ensure that the UK, as part of a multinational coalition led jointly by the UK and France, is ready to secure the strait when conditions permit," said a spokesman for the British military.

As noted in the article, the capabilities of the British Navy to participate in military operations in remote regions are limited due to the reduction in the number of ships of the Royal Navy.

A number of Western experts and British officials have previously pointed to the deplorable state of the British navy. As Jack Watling, a senior researcher at the Royal United Institute for Defense Studies, noted, London's long-term attempts to save money have led to the unsuitability of a significant part of the ships.

The news is being updated