Operation Kipion: What is the Royal Navy's mission in the Middle East?

Since 1980, the start of the Iran-Iraq war, both Royal Navy and Royal Fleet Auxiliary ships have been on patrol in the Gulf for 24 hours day, 365 days a year.

Known as Operation Kipion, the deployment continues to this day.

But what is it and why is it important for the Royal Navy?

• HMS Lancaster seizes more than £10m of drugs in Indian Ocean and Gulf busts
• £13.2m drug bust by Royal Navy-led task force in Gulf of Oman
• HMS Diamond sets sail to bolster UK's maritime presence across the Middle East

Operation Kipion is the UK’s effort to maintain peace and stability in the Gulf region.

Geographically the Gulf, which is also known as the Arabian or Persian Gulf, is a body of water that borders Iran, Iraq, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Qatar, the United Arab Emirates and Oman.

The region has been, and continues to be, volatile.

In addition to promoting peace and stability, the Royal Navy is deployed to the region to ensure the safe flow of oil and trade.

With 39 million tonnes of oil being imported into the UK every year, it is important for the UK to retain a presence in the Gulf.

Equally, 95% of Britain's economic activity depends on the oceans, so it is vital for the nation's finances to make sure that the shipping lanes in the Middle East stay open -  with 38 nations collaborating with the Royal Navy in the region.

The Royal Navy presence in the Gulf is made up of helicopters, dock landing ships and permanent anti-mine ships.

There is usually at least one escort ship, an RFA ship and three minehunters deployed as part of Operation Kipion.

The United Kingdom Component Command, the command element of the operation, is based in Bahrain. It is from here that exercises and personnel, including those from the Royal Marines, the Royal Air Force and British Army, are commanded.

The ships deployed to the Gulf carry out a number of roles, including security patrols, taking part in exercises, and seizing drugs and weapons from smugglers in the region.

In March, HMS Lancaster seized anti-tank weapons and ballistic missile components.

And in June, she took hold of £10m of narcotics.

From 2003 to 2011, the Royal Navy helped the peacekeeping mission in Iraq following the toppling of Saddam Hussein.

This saw Royal Navy vessels deployed to provide protection for the country's two oil platforms, these being responsible for most of Iraq's wealth.

Most recently, HMS Diamond, one of the Royal Navy's Type 45 destroyers, has just deployed to the Middle East as part of Operation Kipion.