Macron: France stayed out of strikes against Houthis to avoid "escalation"

French President Emmanuel Macron has said that France has decided not to join the US and Britain in strikes against the Houthis in Yemen to avoid escalation in the region.

"Regarding the situation in the Red Sea, France is pursuing a defensive approach and providing the basis for these actions," the French president said during a press conference, Le Figaro reports.

He said the country's armed forces did not join the strikes against the Houthi bases in Yemen to avoid "escalation" in the region. He also added that in recent days the French army has several times taken part in intercepting missiles that flew towards Norwegian ships in the Red Sea.