France to deploy aircraft carrier to Mediterranean to protect shipping

French President Emmanuel Macron said on Tuesday that he is sending the country’s flagship aircraft carrier to the Mediterranean in response to the widening conflict in the Middle East.

"I have ordered the Charles de Gaulle aircraft carrier, its air assets, and its escort of frigates to set course for the Mediterranean," he said in a televised address to the nation.

As energy prices soar following the United States and Israel’s war on Iran, he said it will help secure maritime routes and ensure Europe’s economic interests in the region.

He said the action needed ​to be taken as the Strait of Hormuz has been closed ⁠and the Suez Canal and Red Sea shipping routes are threatened ​by the widening conflict.

"We have taken the initiative to build a coalition in order to pool the necessary resources, including military ones, so that traffic can be restored and secured in these sea lanes that are essential to the global economy," he added.

Macron said he was also sending a frigate and air defence assets to Cyprus, a day after Iranian-made drones hit the British Royal Air Force base of Akrotiri on the island.

He said French forces had also shot down drones to defend the airspace of its Gulf allies.

The French president said that while Iran “bears primary responsibility" for the US-Israeli action, he added that it would be desirable to end the strikes as quickly as possible.

"The United States of America and Israel have decided to ⁠launch military ​operations, conducted outside international ​law, which we cannot approve of," he said.

Iran has responded by targeting Gulf states, Israel, and US facilities across the Middle East, as well as threatening shipping in the area.

Macron also noted that France has defence agreements binding it to Qatar, Kuwait, and the United Arab Emirates, which are facing retaliatory attacks by Tehran.

Earlier, Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot said France had deployed Rafale fighter jets over the UAE to protect its naval and air bases.

As well as its 700 troops serving with the UN Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL), France has 900 military personnel at air, naval and land bases in the UAE, along with Rafales, Leclerc tanks and Caesar artillery.

Its Rafale aircraft are stationed at Al-Dhafra base near Abu Dhabi.

In his speech, Macron said two French bases had sustained "limited strikes causing material damage" since the start of the conflict.