Lithuania Considers Contributing Minesweeping Efforts in Strait of Hormuz

Lithuania could contribute minesweeping capabilities and resources for the headquarters of a potential mission to protect shipping in the Strait of Hormuz, the Baltic country's Chief of Defence General Raimundas Vaiksnoras said on Tuesday.

"We are mostly focusing on sending minesweeping capabilities and headquarter capabilities. Planning is ongoing, we want to be responsive to what is needed," Vaiksnoras told a press conference in Vilnius.

On Monday, Lithuania's State Defence Council, which is chaired by the president, said in a proposal to parliament that the country should send up to 40 soldiers and personnel to aid the United States in the Strait of Hormuz.

On Saturday, Britain said it was deploying a warship to the Middle East in preparation for a potential multinational effort to protect shipping in the strait once conditions allow.

(Reuters)