UK nuclear submarine deployed to Arabian Sea before Iran targets key US-UK base: reports

A British nuclear-powered submarine has been deployed to nan Arabian Sea amid rising tensions successful nan region and came up of Iran’s grounded ballistic rocket effort targeting Diego Garcia, a cardinal U.S.-U.K. subject guidelines successful nan Indian Ocean, according to reports.

HMS Anson — a Royal Navy Astute-class submarine equipped pinch Tomahawk Block IV cruise missiles and Spearfish heavyweight torpedoes — traveled astir 5,500 miles from HMAS Stirling, adjacent Perth, Australia, to nan region earlier successful March.

The submarine is reportedly operating successful nan bluish Arabian Sea, positioning Britain to respond quickly if nan conflict escalates.

HMS Anson periodically surfaces to support communications pinch nan U.K.’s Permanent Joint Headquarters successful London, GB News reported.

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HMS Anson, nan 5th of nan Royal Navy's Astute-class atomic submarines, is seen docking successful Gibraltar.  (UCG/Getty Images)

The outlet reported that Anson is typically based astatine Faslane successful Scotland, wherever an Iranian man has been charged pinch attempting to summation entry.

The deployment was said to person travel soon aft nan U.K. authorities authorized nan United States to use British subject bases for protect operations targeting Iranian rocket capabilities that person threatened shipping successful nan Strait of Hormuz.

In a statement, Downing Street said nan purpose of those operations was to "degrade nan rocket sites and capabilities" utilized successful attacks connected ships, while emphasizing that Britain does not want to beryllium drawn into a wider location conflict.

Tensions intensified Sunday aft Iran launched 2 ballistic missiles toward Diego Garcia, according to aggregate reports. Neither rocket reached its target; 1 reportedly grounded successful flight, while nan different was intercepted.

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Diego Garcia is simply a strategical Indian Ocean guidelines hosting 2,500 US subject personnel. (Reuters)

The attempted onslaught has raised concerns astir Iran’s rocket range, arsenic Diego Garcia is astir 2,485 miles from Iran.

Iranian Foreign Minister Seyed Abbas Araghchi had warned Britain against supporting U.S. aliases Israeli subject action, saying specified engagement could further escalate nan conflict.

Araghchi told U.K. Home Secretary Yvette Cooper that Iran views Britain’s determination to let U.S. forces to usage its bases arsenic "participation successful aggression," according to his relationship of nan call, nan BBC reported.

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Iranian Foreign Minister Seyed Abbas Araghchi claimed he told U.K. Home Secretary Yvette Cooper that Iran views Britain’s determination to let U.S. forces to usage its bases arsenic "participation successful aggression." (Shadati/Xinhua via Getty Images)

He besides criticized what he described arsenic nan U.K.’s "negative and biased" attack and demanded that it cease practice pinch nan United States.

The U.K. did not let nan U.S. to usage its bases for first violative strikes against Iran but later granted support for protect operations successful consequence to Iranian rocket threats.

Downing Street said: "We didn’t participate successful nan first strikes, and we’re not getting drawn into nan wider war."

Tehran has said it would workout what it calls its correct to self-defense if threatened.

Meanwhile, nan U.K. Ministry of Defence said Sunday that Royal Air Force assets, including Typhoon jets, stay engaged successful protect operations successful nan region.

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The ministry added that British forces person helped antagonistic Iranian drone threats while coordinating intimately pinch allies.

Fox News Digital has reached retired to nan U.K. Ministry of Defence for comment.