A Royal Navy frigate is tracking a US task force preparing to intercept an Iranian tanker suspected of carrying arms. The operation, authorised by the White House, marks a significant escalation in Gulf tensions. Sources at the Ministry of Defence confirm that HMS Lancaster was dispatched to monitor the situation but has no orders to engage.
The tanker, flying a Tanzanian flag, is believed to be heading for the port of Bandar Abbas. Diplomats at the Foreign Office are scrambling to contain the fallout, with Downing Street reportedly kept out of the loop until the last minute. This is classic US unilateralism.
They brief the press before they brief their allies. Expect a furious behind-the-scenes row at the next NATO meeting. The question is: does Starmer know what his navy is doing?
