Gibraltar: Hundreds of British sailors aboard the RFA Lyme Bay, currently docked near Gibraltar, are on standby for a potential mine-clearing deployment to the Strait of Hormuz, though the mission remains uncertain as diplomatic talks continue.

The operation is being considered as part of an international effort, reportedly led by the UK and France, to secure the strategic waterway. However, officials say deployment will only proceed once a peace agreement is finalised.

US President Donald Trump has pressed allies to take greater responsibility in the region, amid tensions with Iran that have disrupted global shipping and pushed energy prices higher. In March, he told NATO partners to “go get your own oil” and secure the strait themselves.

During a briefing aboard the vessel in Gibraltar, British Armed Forces Minister Al Carns outlined preparations for a possible mission. The ship is being equipped with mine-hunting drones and ammunition as it prepares for potential mobilisation alongside allied naval forces, including the destroyer HMS Dragon.

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“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 said, responding to questions on expectations from the United States.

Following the outbreak of conflict on February 28, Iran retaliated by effectively disrupting access through the strait, a critical route for oil, gas and fertiliser shipments. Carns said around 6,000 ships have been affected since then.

US-UK tensions have also surfaced, with Trump criticising Britain’s military capability and leadership. He has previously described the Royal Navy as “toys” and Prime Minister Keir Starmer as “not Winston Churchill”.

Commander Gemma Britton, who leads the Royal Navy’s Mine and Threat Exploitation Group, said the threats in the region could be varied and complex.

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Iran could deploy a “huge” range of naval mines, she said, including rocket-propelled devices, cable-linked systems, and seabed mines triggered by sound, movement or light.

AP observed advanced mine-clearing systems aboard the vessel, including autonomous sonar-equipped drones capable of mapping underwater terrain in significantly less time than traditional methods. These systems can identify underwater objects ranging from fishing equipment to pipelines.

Some drones can be deployed from smaller vessels launched by the RFA Lyme Bay, which acts as a mother ship positioned outside potential danger zones. Once a mine is detected, remote systems or divers may be used to neutralise it, including experimental remotely operated detonation devices.

Britton said the priority would be to establish a safe transit lane through the strait, enabling commercial shipping to resume gradually.

However, officials cautioned that full clearance of the waterway could take months or even years, depending on conditions.

At present, it remains unclear whether mines are actually present or whether the UK-led operation will be deployed at all.

Carns dismissed concerns that the mission was symbolic, saying commercial insurers require certainty before shipping routes can reopen.

“That's what this capability will provide,” he said.

The deployment, he added, would only proceed once hostilities end.

“Final aspects and details of the Deal are currently being discussed, and will be announced shortly,” Trump said on social media, without giving a timeline.

But uncertainty remains over the negotiations.

“We don't know when the Americans, Iranians and Israelis are going to come up with a suitable solution,” Carns said.

For now, the RFA Lyme Bay remains on standby. Carns said the crew is prepared and “really, really ready”.