French President Emmanuel Macron on Tuesday said that a military operation to reopen the Straits of Hormuz, one of the world's most vital oil export routes, which has been shut by Iran, is on the table.
Mr Macron's televised comments, which were broadcast during the evening news and dedicated solely to the Middle East, highlighted the conflict's dangerous escalation as Israel is reported to be preparing a ground offensive in Lebanon – plans he described as "a strategic error".
He started his speech by rebuking the US and Israel for launching attacks "outside of international law, which we cannot condone". He also strongly condemned Iranian leaders, calling them "the executioners of their people".
"The Islamic Republic of Iran bears primary responsibility for this situation," Mr Macron said.
'Interests to protect'
Iran has effectively closed the Strait of Hormuz after threatening to attack ships in the area, forcing them to reroute around South Africa. Speaking beside a map showing that 20 per cent of the world's oil and liquefied gas is shipped through the strait, Mr Macron said it was "effectively closed".
"The Suez Canal and the Red Sea are also under tension and threats," Mr Macron said. "We are taking the initiative to build a coalition to pool resources, including military resources, to resume and secure traffic in these waterways essential to the global economy.
"We have economic interests to protect, because oil prices, gas prices and the international trade situation are being profoundly disrupted by this war."
France also has a frigate, Aspides, in the Red Sea as part of a European defensive naval operation. It was launched in 2024 as Yemen's Iran-backed Houthis launched a campaign of harassment of ships in the region amid the Israel-Gaza war.
Mr Macron announced that he had ordered the aircraft carrier Charles de Gaulle to be sent to the Mediterranean and the frigate Languedoc off the coast of Cyprus to help it fend off any further drone attacks, in co-ordination with Greece.
US President Donald Trump, meanwhile, has suggested the US Navy would help to protect ships passing through the Strait of Hormuz.
"If necessary, the United States Navy will begin escorting tankers through the Strait of Hormuz as soon as possible," Mr Trump posted on the Truth Social media platform.
He also directed the Development Finance Corporation to provide political risk insurance for all maritime trade travelling through the Gulf "at a reasonable price".
Insurance companies including Gard and London P&I Club have announced in recent days that cancellation of war risk covers would expire on Thursday.
'New situation'
"A new situation is emerging," Mr Macron said. "The strikes are expected to continue in the coming days to weaken Iran and destroy its retaliatory capabilities. In response, Iran is expected to launch further strikes throughout the region."
Warning that "no one can predict today" when the war will end, he said that repatriations of "vulnerable" French citizens had started from the region, particularly from Gulf states. Two flights are scheduled to land in Paris later Tuesday.
Mr Macron highlighted his country's defence agreements with Qatar, Kuwait and the UAE, and “strong commitments” with Jordan and Iraq.
“We reacted immediately and shot down drones in legitimate self-defence from the very first hours of the conflict to defend the airspace of our allies, who know they can count on us,” he said. “In addition to the resources already in place, Rafale fighter jets, air defence systems, and airborne radars have been deployed in recent hours.”
Two French military bases in the region have been hit, Mr Macron said, without giving further details. The Foreign Ministry had previously said that a storage shed had been hit in France's naval base in the UAE without causing casualties. The UAE has "been particularly targeted, and we owe them solidarity", Mr Macron said.
In Lebanon, Hezbollah, one of Tehran's principal allies, launched missiles and drones towards Israel in response to the killing of Iranian supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.
Israel responded with air strikes, which it said struck the Hezbollah-controlled southern suburbs of Beirut and killed senior militants. The Lebanese state news agency NNA said at least 50 people had been killed and tens of thousands displaced.
