The French aircraft carrier Charles de Gaulle is heading for the southern Red Sea so that it can be deployed on a possible mission to restore shipping through the Strait of Hormuz. This has been reported by the French authorities, according to the AFP news agency.
The aircraft carrier group passed through the Suez Canal on Wednesday as part of a forward deployment. The aim is to reduce response times should an international operation be launched. According to an adviser to President Emmanuel Macron, the deployment sends a clear signal that France is both ready and capable of securing navigation in the strategically important strait.
İlginizi çekebilir:
US halts escort of ships
Traffic through the Strait of Hormuz – through which around a fifth of the world’s oil normally passes – has effectively ground to a halt since the conflict in the Middle East escalated at the end of February.
On Tuesday, a CMA CGM container ship was struck by Iranian missiles, injuring several crew members and causing damage to the vessel. France and the UK are working to establish a multinational defensive mission to ensure freedom of navigation when conditions permit. Over 40 countries are participating in the military planning.
At the same time, France is seeking to promote a diplomatic solution in which the Hormuz issue is dealt with separately from the wider conflict. The aim is to persuade both the US and Iran to lift the blockades and resume negotiations. The Charles de Gaulle is accompanied by several frigates and carries around 20 Rafale fighter jets. The aircraft carrier was originally deployed from Toulon in January, but was redirected to the eastern Mediterranean in March.
