Published by Global Banking & Finance Review®
Posted on March 3, 2026
2 min readLast updated: April 2, 2026
Add as preferred source on GoogleFrance is dispatching its nuclear-powered aircraft carrier Charles de Gaulle to the Eastern Mediterranean, along with its air wing and escorting frigates, to safeguard key maritime routes amid the escalating Middle East conflict.
PARIS, March 3 (Reuters) - President Emmanuel Macron on Tuesday said France was sending its aircraft carrier Charles de Gaulle to the Mediterranean and working to build a coalition that would help secure maritime traffic imperiled by the escalating crisis in the Middle East.
In a televised address to the nation, Macron said that action needed to be taken with the Straits of Hormuz closed and the Suez Canal and Red Sea shipping routes threatened by the widening conflict.
"We have economic interests to protect, because oil prices, gas prices and the international trade situation are being profoundly disrupted by this war.," Macron said.
He said France had also sent a frigate to Cyprus and had shot down drones in the skies above its Gulf allies.
Rafale jets were among the assets being used .
"We have defense agreements that bind us to Qatar, Kuwait, and the United Arab Emirates. The latter are particularly targeted, and we owe them solidarity," Macron said.
He said France was helping its citizens who wanted to leave the region get out and that two flights were due to arrive in Paris on Tuesday evening. Security had also been reinforced at some sites in France, he added.
Macron said Iran itself "bears primary responsibility" for the U.S.-Israeli action, but added: "the United States of America and Israel have decided to launch military operations; they were conducted outside international law, which we cannot approve."
(Reporting by Makini Brice and Benoit Van Overstraeten; Writing by Charlotte Van Campenhout and Ingrid Melander; editing by Richard Lough)
France is deploying its aircraft carrier to secure maritime traffic affected by the escalating Middle East crisis and threats to key shipping routes.
Macron announced the deployment of the Charles de Gaulle carrier, a frigate to Cyprus, support flights for citizens leaving the region, and strengthened security at some sites in France.
The Straits of Hormuz, Suez Canal, and Red Sea shipping routes are threatened by the widening conflict in the Middle East.
France aims to protect its interests in international trade, as well as stabilize oil and gas prices disrupted by the regional conflict.
France is providing defense support, including shooting down drones, deploying Rafale jets, and backing allies such as Qatar, Kuwait, and the United Arab Emirates.
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