PARIS: President Emmanuel Macron will on Tuesday speak to the nation about the war in Iran and its consequences, the Elysee said, after France vowed to protect its nationals and bases in the Middle East.
Macron, who on Monday warned that a widening war between the United States, Israel, and Iran risks spilling over to Europe’s borders, will deliver a televised address to the nation at 8:00 pm (1900 GMT).
During a meeting of France’s defence council on Sunday, the French president said France would raise its defence posture in the Middle East to protect its nationals and bases there, and to support countries in the region targeted by Iran in retaliation for the Israeli-US strikes.
Earlier Tuesday Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot said that France had deployed Rafale fighter jets over the United Arab Emirates to protect its naval and air bases.
France has hundreds of navy, air force and army personnel based in the UAE. Its Rafale aircraft are stationed at Al-Dhafra base near Abu Dhabi.
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“These Rafales and their pilots are mobilised to ensure the security of our facilities,” Barrot told broadcaster BFMTV in response to a question on French action in the UAE over the weekend to neutralise Iranian drones.
“They have carried out operations to secure the airspace above our bases.”
On Sunday, “a hangar at a French base in the United Arab Emirates was hit by a drone”, Barrot said.
“Exchanges are multiplying to determine both how the country can defend itself against future attacks and how France can protect its interests there,” he added.
France’s Charles de Gaulle aircraft carrier was however in the North Atlantic, as part of a previously planned multinational exercise, Barrot said, after he was asked if it had been sent to the Mediterranean.
The United States and Israel launched attacks against Iran on Saturday, killing Iranian supreme leader Ali Khamenei.
Iran has responded by targeting US allies in the Gulf region.
Debris from a drone interception caused a fire that was contained at an oil industry zone in the Fujairah emirate on Tuesday, authorities said.
In Abu Dhabi, a drone struck a fuel tank terminal on Monday, causing a fire though operations were not impacted.
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