News Desk
CYPRUS / PARIS: French President Emmanuel Macron announced that France, alongside allied nations, is preparing a “defensive and supportive” operation to reopen the strategically vital Strait of Hormuz amid the escalating Middle East conflict.
Macron, visiting Cyprus and aboard the Charles de Gaulle aircraft carrier deployed to the Mediterranean, said the mission will focus on escorting container ships and oil tankers, gradually restoring maritime traffic once the most intense phase of the conflict subsides. He emphasized that the operation is aimed solely at protecting international trade and ensuring the uninterrupted flow of oil and natural gas from the Gulf region.
Speaking alongside Cypriot President Nikos Christodoulides and Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis, Macron stressed that the mission involves both European and non-European partners and is “purely defensive and supportive.”
The announcement follows heightened regional tensions after US-Israeli strikes on Iran on February 28, which disrupted shipping and nearly brought activity in the Strait of Hormuz—a corridor carrying roughly one-fifth of the world’s crude oil—to a standstill.
Macron also condemned recent drone attacks on Cyprus, describing them as attacks on Europe itself. In response, France deployed the Charles de Gaulle, a frigate, and air-defense systems to bolster security.
The European Union indicated it is ready to reinforce its naval presence in the Red Sea and Gulf to protect maritime traffic, signaling broad European concern over the regional conflict’s impact on global energy markets.
Macron noted that the duration of the operation and regional tensions will largely depend on the objectives pursued by the United States and Israel.
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