LONDON, May 12 (Reuters) - Britain said on Tuesday it would contribute autonomous mine-hunting equipment, Typhoon fighter ‌jets and the warship HMS Dragon to a ‌multinational defensive mission aimed at securing shipping in the Strait of Hormuz.

Defence ​minister John Healey announced the commitment during a virtual summit with more than 40 of his counterparts from other nations involved in the mission, which he said would ‌become operational when conditions ⁠allowed.

"With our allies, this multinational mission will be defensive, independent, and credible," he said ⁠in a statement.

The Iran war has sharply curtailed traffic through the Strait of Hormuz, disrupting oil exports and sending ​energy prices ​higher. About a fifth of ​the world's oil passes ‌through the strait.

Britain's contribution will be backed by 115 million pounds ($155.53 million) of new funding for mine-hunting drones and counter-drone systems, as London seeks to reassure commercial shipping of its commitment to freedom of navigation amid heightened ‌regional tensions.

The package will include ​autonomous systems to detect and clear ​naval mines, high‑speed ​drone boats, Typhoon jets for air patrols and ‌HMS Dragon, an air defence ​destroyer that ​is already on its way to the Middle East.

Britain already has more than 1,000 personnel deployed in ​the region as ‌part of existing defensive operations, including counter-drone teams ​and fast jet squadrons.

($1 = 0.7394 pounds)

(Reporting by Sam ​Tabahriti, editing by William James)