French President Emmanuel Macron said France is moving to the Mediterranean, the Red Sea and possibly the Strait of Hormuz to support allies threatened by conflict in the Middle East, Reuters reported.
Before visiting the aircraft carrier Charles de Gaulle, Macron sought to reassure his Cypriot counterpart, who had intercepted drones targeting the island in early March. The Charles de Gaulle arrived in the eastern Mediterranean last weekend. After meeting with the Cypriot president and Greek prime minister, Macron stressed that an attack on Cyprus is an attack on all of Europe.
As the conflict between the United States, Israel and Iran escalates, European countries have been largely sidelined. Meanwhile, the strikes have hit Gulf states and dragged Lebanon into hostilities after the terrorist group Hezbollah launched strikes on Israel. The hostilities are also affecting shipping lanes, and oil prices have risen sharply, exceeding 100 dollars a barrel, forcing Europeans to think about how to protect their interests.
Macron said the main goal is to maintain a strong defensive stance, supporting countries affected by Iranian attacks, and to engage in de-escalation of the situation.
Over time, Europe aims to guarantee freedom of movement and safety in shipping.
Until now, the European Union’s main maritime activities in the region have been related to the Red Sea mission, which was established in 2024 to protect ships from attacks by Houthi militants. The Greek prime minister also called for the mission to be strengthened. France currently provides one warship for the mission, but Macron promised to provide another. In total, Paris will send eight warships, an aircraft carrier and a helicopter carrier to the region.
The new mission could eventually include the protection of commercial shipping in the Strait of Hormuz. Without elaborating, Macron said the aim was to create a purely defensive escort mission, which would aim to escort ships and gradually open the strait for operations once the most intense phase of the conflict is over.
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