Emmanuel Macron: France Preparing ‘Defensive’ Mission To Reopen Strait Of Hormuz

President of France Emmanuel Macron expressed solidarity with Cyprus following a recent drone attack, adding Paris was deploying a ‘purely supportive and defensive’ naval mission along with other European countries to reopen the Strait of Hormuz. “When someone attacks Cyprus, they attack Europe,” Macron said after meeting with Cypriot President Nikos Christodoulides and Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis in Nicosia on Monday. “The French presence will continue to exist in the Mediterranean, the Red Sea, the Strait of Hormuz, with eight frigates, with our aircraft carrier and amphibious units,” Macron added. He added the mission would be “escorting tankers but also other cargo ships of the merchant fleet to enable the continuation of trade through the sea routes.”