UK sends 2nd navy ship to Gulf amid tension in Middle East

The UK on Thursday announced the deployment of a second warship to the Gulf in response to escalating tensions in the Middle East over Israel's attacks on Gaza.

"HMS Diamond is en route to join Operation Kipion, the UK's maritime presence in the Gulf and the Indian Ocean," Defense Secretary Grant Shapps announced.

"Recent events have proven how critical the Middle East remains to global security and stability," he added in a statement.

"From joint efforts to deter escalation, following the onset of the renewed conflict in Israel and Gaza, to now the unlawful and brazen seizure of MV Galaxy Leader by the Houthis in the Red Sea-it is critical that the UK bolsters our presence in the region, to keep Britain and our interests safe from a more volatile and contested world," he said.

The HMS Lancaster has been stationed in the Gulf since last year, accompanied by three Royal Navy minehunters.

The addition of a Type 45 destroyer is expected to provide further strength to the UK's naval capabilities in the area.

Simultaneously, a UK-led task force is set to initiate patrols from the English Channel to the Baltic Sea. The mission's primary objective is to protect Europe's critical undersea cables, reflecting concerns about the strategic importance of these communication routes.

The move follows in the footsteps of the U.S., which has bolstered its naval presence in the region since Oct. 7 with a carrier strike group east of Suez and a second aircraft carrier in the eastern Mediterranean.

The UK announcement comes amid a humanitarian pause in Israel's war on Gaza, extended late Wednesday for one more day.

Israeli officials have vowed to resume attacks on Gaza in full force once the pause is over.

Since Oct. 7, in the wake of a surprise attack by Hamas, Israeli attacks have killed over 15,000 people, including 6,150 children and 4,000 women, according to health authorities in the enclave.

The official Israeli death toll stands at 1,200.