Two British warships are currently heading to the Persian Gulf to "take all necessary steps to protect our ships and citizens" following the US assassination of Qasem Soleimani.

Defence Secretary, Ben Wallace, has ordered HMS Montrose and HMS Defender, a Type 23 frigate and a Type 45 destroyer to accompany British-flagged ships through the Strait of Hormuz.

Prime Minister Boris Johnson is set to fly back to the UK tomorrow, following his holiday in Mustique and will be faced with his biggest foreign policy crisis during his time in Downing Street.

The PM is likely to be immediately briefed by his National Security Adviser, Sir Mark Sedwill, who today met with the UKs leading security agencies to discuss risks to UK assets in the Middle East.

This news comes as thousands of Brits currently in Turkey and Dubai have been warned to remain "vigilant" by the Foreign Office, who have recently updated their advice for travel across the Middle East.

Wallaces decision to send the warships back to the Gulf comes just two months after the ships had been withdrawn from their previous deployment in the same area.

In a statement, Wallace said: "The Government will take all necessary steps to protect our ships and citizens at this time."

He went on to say that on Friday he had spoken to US Defence Secretary, Mark Esper, claiming he urged all parties to engage to de-escalate the situation.

Following on the heels of President Trumps decision to go ahead with the airstrikes and signifying Britains position in the escalating crisis, Wallace added: "During the last few months US forces in Iraq, who are based in Iraq at the invitation of the Iraqi government, have been repeatedly attacked by Iranian backed militia ."

He continued: "General Soleimani has been at the heart of the use of proxies to undermine neighbouring sovereign nations and target Irans enemies.

"Under international law, the United States is entitled to defend itself against those posing an imminent threat to their citizens."

Sedwill, who is also the Cabinet Secretary, chaired a two-hour meeting with senior figures from the Governments listening post, GCHQ and other intelligence officials at 10 Downing Street.

Its believed the meeting looked into "the potential scenarios, risks to the UK assets in the region."

Reports also emerged that GCHQ had stepped up their monitoring of Tehran-backed hackers this weekend, following fears that Britains national infrastructure and government departments would be targeted in retaliation by Iran.

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