Nicosia, March 9 (SANA) French President Emmanuel Macron announced on Monday a significant reinforcement of his country’s military assets in the Middle East, confirming the deployment of two additional frigates to the Red Sea as part of the European Union’s maritime protection mission.
During his official visit to Cyprus, Macron stated that Paris is coordinating with allies on a future “purely defensive” mission to secure traffic through the Strait of Hormuz and escort commercial vessels. This initiative is designed for the phase following the “hottest stage” of the current regional conflict. According to Agence France-Presse
Macron detailed the scale of the French military buildup, noting that the presence will include eight frigates, two amphibious helicopter carriers, and the aircraft carrier Charles de Gaulle, currently stationed near Crete in the Eastern Mediterranean.
In a firm political message, Macron declared that “any attack on Cyprus is an attack on all of Europe,” describing the defense of the island as a fundamental matter for both French and European Union security.
This diplomatic and military escalation follows last Monday’s night-time drone attack on the British Royal Air Force (RAF) base at Akrotiri in Cyprus. President Nikos Christodoulides confirmed that an Iranian-made “Shahed” drone struck the facility, causing material damage but no casualties.
