France intercepts Iranian drones targeting UAE

French Rafale fighter jets have intercepted Iranian drones aimed at the United Arab Emirates (UAE), French Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot confirmed, as tensions rise across the Gulf following U.S. and Israeli strikes on Iran.

“We have already responded to the request from our partners, particularly the United Arab Emirates, with military capabilities that we were able to provide them. All of this with a simple objective that is strictly defensive: to enable our partners to defend themselves against this aggression that they did not provoke,” Barrot said, Caliber.Az reports via foreign media.

The minister also announced that several repatriation flights for French nationals in the Middle East are planned for March 4.

“One will depart from the United Arab Emirates, another from Egypt to repatriate vulnerable ones from Israel,” Barrot told France 2 TV. He declined to specify the number of passengers; around 400,000 French nationals are currently in the region.

Earlier, France deployed Rafale jets over the UAE on March 2 to safeguard its military bases.

“They conducted airspace security operations over our bases,” Barrot told BFMTV, without detailing whether the jets had previously engaged drones or missiles.

While France has criticised the U.S.-Israel strikes, with President Emmanuel Macron calling the operation “outside the framework of international law, which we cannot approve,” it has strengthened its military presence in the region. The nuclear-powered aircraft carrier Charles de Gaulle and its escort frigates have been deployed to the Mediterranean as part of these precautionary measures.

By Sabina Mammadli