France sends nuclear-powered warship to Mediterranean as Iran war grows – National

French President Emmanuel Macron on Tuesday ordered France’s nuclear-powered aircraft carrier to move from the Baltic Sea to the Mediterranean to help protect allied assets during the ongoing war in the Middle East.

Macron said the Charles de Gaulle will be escorted by its air wing, and its escorting frigates.

In a pre-recorded speech aired on French TV, Macron added that Rafale fighter jets, air-defense systems, and airborne radar systems have been deployed over the past few hours in the Middle East.

“And we will continue this effort as much as necessary,” Macron said.

He cited Monday’s strike on a British air force base on Cyprus, adding that Cyprus was a member of the European Union with which France has recently signed a strategic partnership.

“This requires our support. That is why I have decided to send additional air-defense assets there as well, along with a French frigate, the Languedoc, which will arrive off the coast of Cyprus later this evening,” Macron said.

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France, the U.K. and Germany have previously said that they weren’t involved in the strikes on Iran, but were prepared to enable necessary and proportionate defensive action to destroy Iran’s capability to fire missiles and drones.

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Macron said France has defense agreements binding the EU nation to Qatar, Kuwait, and the United Arab Emirates, as well as strong commitments to Jordan and Iraq.

Noting that the war had spread to Lebanon, Macron said the Iran-backed militant Hezbollah group made “the grave mistake of striking Israel” and putting the Lebanese people in danger but warned against Israel launching a ground operation.

France communicated its plan to send additional military assets to Cypriot President Nikos Christodoulides early on Tuesday, Cypriot government spokesperson Konstantinos Letymbiotis said.

Britain said it would deploy the Type 45 destroyer HMS Dragon and two Wildcat helicopters armed with Martlet missiles to strengthen defenses in the Eastern Mediterranean.

The Ministry of Defence said the destroyer – fitted with the Sea Viper missile system – would enhance Britain’s ability to detect, track and destroy aerial threats, including drones.

It said the deployment followed British forces shooting down multiple drones in the region over the past 24 hours, including RAF F-35B jets engaging Iranian drones over Jordan for the first time.

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Greece sent four F-16 fighter jets and two frigates, including one carrying the Centauros anti-drone jamming system used previously against Houthi attacks off Yemen. Centauros can detect and incapacitate low-flying drones, even those hugging terrain or skimming the sea surface.

“Greece is present, and will continue to be present to assist in any way in the defense of the Republic of Cyprus,” Greek Defence Minister Nikos Dendias said during a visit to Nicosia.

British Prime Minister Keir Starmer said on X that London was “fully committed to the security of Cyprus and British personnel based there,” adding that he had spoken with Christodoulides about the move.

In Paris, the French armed forces said they were monitoring developments and acting in coordination with regional partners under existing defense agreements.

—With additional files from Reuters

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