LONDON, May 9 (Xinhua) -- Britian is sending destroyer HMS Dragon the Eastern Mediterranean to the Middle East amid preparations for a possible multinational mission to safeguard shipping through the Strait of Hormuz, British media said on Saturday.

The move would allow the destroyer to contribute immediately, if needed, to a future operation aimed at ensuring freedom of navigation in the waterway, Sky News quoted Britain's Ministry of Defence as saying.

Any plan would be strictly defensive and aimed at restoring confidence for commercial shipping, the ministry added.

In March, the ship was deployed to the Eastern Mediterranean to begin "operational integration" into Cyprus' defences, according to the Royal Navy.

HMS Dragon's redeployment came after France and Britain proposed multinational escort efforts to restore navigation in the Hormuz Strait.

French aircraft carrier Charles de Gaulle is also heading toward the Red Sea, the French defense ministry said earlier this week. ■