The French nuclear aircraft carrier Charles de Gaulle is headed for two vital areas in the Middle East. The final target
France's Charles de Gaulle nuclear aircraft carrier group is heading to the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden as part of efforts by France and Britain to prepare for an upcoming mission to ensure freedom of navigation in the Strait of Hormuz, the French military said on Wednesday, according to Reuters.
The French Ministry of Defense stated in a statement that the aircraft carrier group crossed the Suez Canal on Wednesday, heading for the southern Red Sea.
This Charles de Gaulle nuclear aircraft carrier strike group was deployed to the eastern Mediterranean shortly after the US and Israel launched their airstrikes on Iran and may remain at sea for four to five months.
France and Britain are leading efforts to organize an international mission to protect shipping in the Strait of Hormuz when conditions permit.
Shipping in the Strait of Hormuz – through which almost a fifth of the world's oil and liquefied natural gas supplies pass – has been severely disrupted by the conflict in the Middle East.
The Red Sea lies between Africa (to the west) and the Arabian Peninsula of Asia (to the east), being connected to the Indian Ocean by the Gulf of Aden.
Located between Yemen (in the southern Arabian Peninsula/Middle East) and Somalia (in eastern Africa), the Gulf of Aden is a key waterway connecting the Red Sea to the Indian Ocean.
Both areas are vital for trade routes.
The international mission that Paris and London have in their sights
At the end of April, British Defense Secretary John Healey and his French counterpart Catherine Vautrin urged military leaders from several countries meeting in London to reach a joint plan to secure the Strait of Hormuz, saying they were “confident” about “progress”.
The meeting in London, which lasted two days, had as its objective the establishment of a “multinational mission with a defensive vocation that will strengthen the confidence of the merchant marine and, if necessary, allow the demining (of the Straits) and the protection of ships after the cessation of hostilities”, stated, on April 23, John Healey.
More than 44 countries from all continents participated in the meeting, the British Ministry of Defense stated, according to AFP and Agerpres.
The conference followed a summit that had brought together on April 17 about 50 participants, including about 30 heads of state and government.
At the end of the summit, French President Emmanuel Macron mentioned the establishment of a “neutral mission, completely separated from the belligerents” to secure navigation in the Strait of Hormuz.
British Prime Minister Keir Starmer said “more than 12 countries” had offered to contribute to such a “peaceful and defensive” force.
Both countries stressed that this force will be deployed only after lasting peace is established in the region.
