France will lead a European Union (EU) mission to reopen shipping lanes in the Strait of Hormuz after the conflict in the Middle East has disrupted global trade flows.
French President Emmanuel Macron said the mission aims to escort container ships and oil tankers once the hottest phase of the conflict is over.
The move is seen as crucial to ensuring that international trade routes resume, particularly for oil and gas movements from the Gulf region.
The mission will involve cooperation from navies from EU and non-EU countries. The operation is described as peaceful and defensive in nature, with a focus on shipping security.
The move comes after Iran warned it could attack European targets that aid US and Israeli military operations.
Tensions rose when Iran reportedly launched another missile towards Turkey on Monday, but it was intercepted by NATO air defense systems.
The situation raises the risk that NATO assets in the region could be directly drawn into the conflict.
Former NATO official Jamie Shea explained that Iran may be using a strategy of psychological pressure to scare European countries into becoming more actively involved in the conflict.
At the same time, EU countries must also be careful that any military action is not seen as an aggressive move by Iran. These include the possibility of European warships escorting oil tankers in the Strait of Hormuz or shooting down Iranian drones in the airspace of the Gulf region.
To support the mission, France has promised to send two frigates that will stand by with the fleets of European countries and other allies.
In addition, the French aircraft carrier strike group, Charles de Gaulle, is currently near Cyprus as part of its military presence in the region.
In total, France is currently mobilizing a large naval force in the area, including eight frigates, two amphibious helicopter carriers and an aircraft carrier.
The fleet is also supported by five frigates from Greece, Italy, the Netherlands and Spain, as well as a destroyer from Britain. Macron described this fleet mobilization as one of the largest ever carried out by Europe in the region.
In addition to ensuring the security of passage through the Strait of Hormuz, the naval fleet in the eastern Mediterranean is also responsible for protecting Cyprus from Iranian missile and drone threats.
The move came after a United Kingdom military base in Cyprus was reportedly attacked by drones last week.
Macron stressed that any attack on Cyprus would also be considered a threat to Europe as a whole, in line with mutual defense commitments under the European Union treaty.
