Frigates from Italy and the Netherlands are now headed for the eastern Mediterranean and France is considering escorting commercial ships through the Strait of Hormuz.
President Emmanuel Macron yesterday (Monday) visited French Navy aircraft carrier Charles de Gaulle, which arrived off Cyprus at the weekend at the head of its Carrier Strike Group (CSG).
He revealed France is planning to send a total of about 12 Navy vessels to the Mediterranean, Red Sea and possibly the Strait of Hormuz in a defensive counter to threats arising from the conflict in the Middle East.
Speaking in Cyprus, he said: “Our objective is to maintain a strictly defensive stance, standing alongside all countries attacked by Iran in its retaliation, to ensure our credibility, and to contribute to regional de-escalation. Ultimately, we aim to guarantee freedom of navigation and maritime security.”
And he added: “We are in the process of setting up a purely defensive, purely escort mission, which must be prepared together with both European and non-European states, and whose purpose is to enable, as soon as possible after the most intense phase of the conflict has ended, the escort of container ships and tankers to gradually reopen the Strait of Hormuz.”
Meanwhile the Dutch Government announced that the air defence frigate HNLMS Evertsen, which had been sailing with the French CSG, will be deployed in the eastern Mediterranean until early April.
Defence minister Dilan Yeşilgöz-Zegerius said: “HNLMS Evertsen has unique capabilities to detect airborne threats from a great distance. This allows the crew to protect themselves and their allies.
“By operating together with the French, we are also strengthening our operations within the European context.”
And Italy’s Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni commented: “To guarantee the security of the European Union’s borders, we have also ordered the deployment of an Italian frigate to Cyprus — an act of European solidarity, but above all one of prevention.”
The Bergamini-class FREMM frigate Federico Martinengo is being dispatched to contribute to the defence of allied interests and forces in the Eastern Mediterranean from potential drone and missile attacks coming from Iran and its proxies.
Meanwhile U.K. Defence Secretary John Healey confirmed that Royal Navy Type 45 destroyer HMS Dragon, also headed for Cyprus, “will set sail in the next couple of days.”
All this came against the backdrop of mixed messages from the U.S. administration regarding the likely length of the conflict.
As oil prices briefly spiked amid Iranian attacks on refineries, President Trump both said Operation Epic Fury was nearly finished, but also denied it would end this week and said attacks could go much further.
- You can read more details on the French President’s website and the Dutch Navy website