France to deploy troops, air defence systems to protect Saudi oil port

France will deploy troops, radar equipment and air defence systems to Saudi Arabia to help protect the Red Sea port city of Yanbu, a key hub for the kingdom’s oil exports, French President Emmanuel Macron said on September 24.

Macron made the announcement during a prime-time television interview with TF1 and France 2, in which much of the discussion focused on growing concerns over energy supplies and the risk of disruptions linked to tensions around the Strait of Hormuz, Caliber.Az reports via foreign media.

“We are going to send military resources, that is to say, soldiers, radar systems and defence systems, to protect this site,” Macron said, stressing that the deployment was intended to protect the facility rather than draw France into the conflict.

Yanbu is Saudi Arabia’s main Red Sea terminal for exporting crude oil without routing shipments through the Strait of Hormuz. The port has recently come under attacks by Yemen’s Iran-backed Houthi movement, according to the information cited by Macron.

The attacks have put additional pressure on global oil markets and raised concerns over alternative routes for Saudi energy exports. Saudi state-owned oil company Saudi Aramco has suspended shipments to European refineries amid the security situation, according to the information provided.

Macron also sought to reassure the French public that the country has sufficient energy supplies ahead of the winter season. With fuel prices rising and concerns growing over possible shortages, he said the government was taking measures to prevent disruptions to supplies of diesel, natural gas and aviation fuel.

The French president said the country should have sufficient fuel reserves by the end of the year even if international supply conditions deteriorate further.