Follow the latest developments regarding the violence in the Middle East in our live blog.
President Macron announced the deployment of the Charles de Gaulle, including air force assets and frigates, to the Mediterranean “due to the unstable situation” in the Middle East. He emphasized the uncertainty of what may unfold in the coming days.
The Charles de Gaulle is the largest aircraft carrier within the European Union and one of the largest in the world. It is, alongside American aircraft carriers, one of the only carriers globally powered by nuclear reactors.
The decision to send the 261-meter-long vessel towards the Middle East comes a day after a British military base in Cyprus was struck by drones. This incident marked the expansion of the conflict in and around Iran to a member state of the EU. Earlier that day, the United Kingdom had also decided to send military equipment to the island.
The situation in the Middle East has rapidly deteriorated in recent days, following airstrikes by the United States and Israel on Iran, which resulted in the death of the country’s leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. In retaliation for these strikes, Iran attacked American bases in at least nine countries in the region.
Europe is struggling to take a position in the rapidly escalating conflict occurring at the EU’s borders. For more details on this situation, read the article below.
