During the war, which began on 28 February, a number of Gulf nations housing US facilities have been targeted with Iranian missiles and drones, prompting the government to arrange evacuation flights for UK citizens in the region.
An MoD spokesperson said: “As part of prudent planning, we have taken the decision to bring RFA Lyme Bay to heightened readiness as a precaution, should she be needed to assist in maritime tasks in the Eastern Mediterranean.”
The MoD would not be drawn on what the primary purpose of the vessel would be were it to be deployed, but its facilities as a support ship make it well-suited for humanitarian and disaster relief missions.
RFA Lyme Bay is a Bay Class landing ship – not a warship – and its primary function is to deliver troops, vehicles, stores and ammunition in the case of amphibious assaults.
The Sun reported, external that the RAF is due to deliver military medics and a mobile field hospital that can operate aboard the ship.
Recently, the support vessel has participated in joint exercises with the Indian Navy and Nato in Norway.
The UK government has not joined the US and Israel in offensive operations against Iran, but has offered the US use of UK airbases to conduct what it calls defensive strikes against Iranian missiles and launchpads.
It has faced accusations of not responding quickly enough to the crisis. The Royal Navy currently has no major warship in the Mediterranean region.
Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch said: “We have put bases in other people’s countries, and those countries are saying we’re not doing enough to help them. I think that’s absolutely shocking.”
She told broadcasters on Tuesday that the UK government’s actions were “projecting weakness”, adding: “If all you’re doing is trying to catch arrows, then surely you’ll get hit.”
HMS Dragon’s primary role will be protecting Cyprus and the British airbase there, after RAF Akrotiri was hit with Iranian-made drones.
