A British nuclear-powered submarine has made its way to the Arabian Sea as tensions in the area intensify. This deployment occurred just before an unsuccessful ballistic missile launch by Iran aimed at Diego Garcia, a significant military base shared by the United States and the United Kingdom in the Indian Ocean, according to recent reports.
The HMS Anson, part of the Royal Navy’s Astute-class fleet and equipped with Tomahawk Block IV cruise missiles and Spearfish heavyweight torpedoes, embarked on a journey covering approximately 5,500 miles from HMAS Stirling near Perth, Australia, to its current location earlier this month.
Positioned in the northern Arabian Sea, the submarine places the United Kingdom in a strategic stance, allowing for swift response should the situation deteriorate further.
To ensure constant communication, HMS Anson occasionally surfaces to connect with the U.K.’s Permanent Joint Headquarters in London, as reported by GB News.
Recently, the HMS Anson, the fifth vessel in the Royal Navy’s Astute-class series, was observed docking in Gibraltar. (Image: UCG/Getty Images)
According to reports, the Anson is typically stationed at Faslane in Scotland, where an Iranian individual was recently charged with trying to breach security protocols.
The deployment was said to have come shortly after the U.K. government authorized the United States to use British military bases for defensive operations targeting Iranian missile capabilities that have threatened shipping in the Strait of Hormuz.
In a statement, Downing Street said the aim of those operations was to “degrade the missile sites and capabilities” used in attacks on ships, while emphasizing that Britain does not want to be drawn into a wider regional conflict.
Tensions intensified Sunday after Iran launched two ballistic missiles toward Diego Garcia, according to multiple reports. Neither missile reached its target; one reportedly failed in flight, while the other was intercepted.
Diego Garcia is a strategic Indian Ocean base hosting 2,500 US military personnel. (Reuters)
The attempted strike has raised concerns about Iran’s missile range, as Diego Garcia is roughly 2,485 miles from Iran.
Iranian Foreign Minister Seyed Abbas Araghchi had warned Britain against supporting U.S. or Israeli military action, saying such involvement could further escalate the conflict.
Araghchi told U.K. Home Secretary Yvette Cooper that Iran views Britain’s decision to allow U.S. forces to use its bases as “participation in aggression,” according to his account of the call, the BBC reported.
Iranian Foreign Minister Seyed Abbas Araghchi claimed he told U.K. Home Secretary Yvette Cooper that Iran views Britain’s decision to allow U.S. forces to use its bases as “participation in aggression.” (Shadati/Xinhua via Getty Images)
He also criticized what he described as the U.K.’s “negative and biased” approach and demanded that it cease cooperation with the United States.
The U.K. did not allow the U.S. to use its bases for initial offensive strikes against Iran but later granted permission for defensive operations in response to Iranian missile threats.
Downing Street said: “We didn’t participate in the initial strikes, and we’re not getting drawn into the wider war.”
Tehran has said it would exercise what it calls its right to self-defense if threatened.
Meanwhile, the U.K. Ministry of Defence said Sunday that Royal Air Force assets, including Typhoon jets, remain engaged in defensive operations in the region.
The ministry added that British forces have helped counter Iranian drone threats while coordinating closely with allies.
Fox News Digital has reached out to the U.K. Ministry of Defence for comment.
