France steps in to protect Saudi oil infrastructure as Houthi attacks intensify
France is deploying military personnel and defensive equipment to Saudi Arabia to protect critical energy infrastructure from Houthi rebel attacks. French officials emphasized that the mission is strictly defensive and does not signify French involvement in the broader Yemen conflict.
Why it matters
This deployment underscores the fragility of global energy supply chains and the increasing involvement of Western powers in regional Middle Eastern security.
France's military support to Saudi Arabia amid repeated attacks by Yemen's Iran-backed Houthi rebels is "strictly defensive", French foreign minister Jean-Noel Barrot said on Sunday, as Paris prepares to deploy troops, radar units and defence systems to help protect key energy infrastructure.Barrot's comments followed President Emmanuel Macron's announcement on Thursday that France would send military personnel and equipment to Saudi Arabia, particularly to help secure the Red Sea port of Yanbu.Asked whether the French deployment meant Paris had become a partner in Saudi Arabia's war against the Houthis, Barrot told state broadcaster France 2, "Absolutely not...
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