An additional update courtesy of the USNI regarding the multinational task force currently collecting in and around the Bab-el-Mandab and Djibouti region.
There was a virtual meeting involving around 40 nations that took place aboard the French carrier Charles de Gaulle. During the meeting several nations including the UK, France, Japan, Australia, Belgium and The Netherlands each pledged various assistance to co-ordinate and carry out efforts to clear the Strait of Hormuz once hostilities are over. The deployment has, once again, been confirmed as defensive only. The UK's HMS Dragon is already in the area and RFA Lyme Bay is currently being outfitted in Gibraltar to become "mothership" for autotomous mine clearing equipment, the RAF has already been assisting defensively using Typhoon aircraft and will continue doing so. The Australians who have already been acting defensively on behalf of the UAE using a Boeing E7A Wedgetail, have confirmed that the aircraft will remain as part of the task force.
The French CSG is now in Djibouti, Africa. The French Minister of the Armed Forces and Veterans Affairs Catherine Vautrin visited the carrier prior to it docking in Djibouti. With Healey, Vautrin hosted on Tuesday a virtual summit of Defense Ministers and representatives from over 40 countries.
“While Charles de Gaulle and its naval air group are already deployed in the region, the new contributions under consideration are numerous,” Vautrin said in a social media post regarding the meeting.
U.K. Pledges Destroyer, Drone-hunting Systems to Strait of Hormuz Mission (USNI - May 13, 2026)
On a seperate note Lithuania is also considering adding its mine clearance capabilities to the task force
Lithuania Considers Contributing Minesweeping Efforts in Strait of Hormuz (Marine Link - May 12, 2026)