Britain is planning to deploy mine-detection drones in the Strait of Hormuz to reduce Iran’s influence over this vital global trade route. The British Ministry of Defence stated that various options are being considered to ensure the safe passage of cargo ships through the strait, which handles about 20 percent of the world’s oil shipments daily. The proposal was first reported by The Sunday Times, citing the Royal Navy’s Mine and Threat Exploitation Group, currently stationed in the Middle East, as the likely source of the drone deployment.

The Sunday Telegraph reported that British interceptor drones, originally designed for Ukraine, may also be used to counter Iranian Shahed drones. The initiative follows earlier calls by former U.S. President Donald Trump for allied nations to send warships to protect oil tankers in the region.

Details such as the number of operational drones and how many could be deployed remain uncertain, according to the reports.