French President Emmanuel Macron stated that Paris and its allies are preparing a "defensive" mission aimed at restoring shipping in the Strait of Hormuz.
The mission will be aimed at escorting tankers "after the most acute phase of the conflict has ended," Macron stated.
The operation will involve the aircraft carrier "Charles de Gaulle," as well as eight frigates and two amphibious assault ships. Macron reported that it will be conducted in cooperation with other countries, without specifying which ones.
Up to one fifth of the world's maritime oil supplies pass through the Strait of Hormuz. After the war began, Iran announced that it would block it. Against this backdrop, energy prices have surged sharply.
France and other EU countries are among the main buyers of gas and oil from the Persian Gulf states. For them, prolonged disruptions in supplies from the region and a sharp rise in global prices are much more critical than, for example, for the warring United States.
Leave a comment