France to deploy two warships to the Strait of Hormuz while Royal Navy vessel remains in Portsmouth

France is set to deploy two warships to the critical Strait of Hormuz in a bid to reopen the vital shipping route in the Persian Gulf.

Emmanuel Macron told members of the press in Cyprus about a dozen naval vessels, including its aircraft carrier strike group, will be stationed in the region.

The French President said the "purely defensive mission" would protect oil and gas shipments through the strait, one of the world's most important and notorious choke points, which has been blocked off during the war with Iran.

The Charles de Gaulle French aircraft carrier arrived in the eastern Mediterranean region over the weekend after drones were intercepted heading towards Cyprus last week.

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During his visit on Monday, Mr Macron opted to reassure Cypriot President Nikos Christodoulides and Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis: "When Cyprus is attacked, then Europe is attacked."

He said France will deploy eight warships, its aircraft carrier strike group and two helicopters to the region.

"Our objective is to maintain a strictly defensive stance, standing alongside all countries attacked by Iran in its retaliation, to ensure our credibility, and to contribute to regional de-escalation. Ultimately, we aim to guarantee freedom of navigation and maritime security," he stated in Paphos.

He continued: "We are in the process of setting up a purely defensive, purely escort mission, which must be prepared together with both ⁠European and non-European states, and whose purpose is to enable, as soon as possible after the most intense phase of the conflict has ended, the escort of container ships and tankers to gradually reopen the Strait of Hormuz."

While Europe has refrained from any offensive strikes in the Middle East, oil prices have now surged to more than $100 per barrel for the first time in four years, dragging Europe into an unwanted oil and energy price crisis.

Major oil producers have cut supplies over fears of continued and extended shipping disruption, with the Strait of Hormuz choked amid the ongoing crisis.

An emergency meeting of the G7 was held earlier today in Paris, in which the release of oil reserves was discussed.

Speaking to the House of Commons on Monday afternoon, Chancellor Rachel Reeves said she "stands ready" to support a coordinated release of the reserves held by the International Energy Agency.

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The European Union already have a naval mission in the Red Sea, guarding vessels on the Aspides from attack by Houthi militants backing Palestinian militant group Hamas in their war with Israel.

Greece Prime Minister Mitsotakis led the appeal for "more vessels" to the "rest of my European colleagues".

"There are few of us ⁠who are participating, but here too we will need to demonstrate our European solidarity more practically," he said.

And, despite its deployment being confirmed last week, HMS Dragon remains docked at Portsmouth. It is not expected to set sail for the region until at least Wednesday.

"I can confirm today the Dragon will set sail in the next couple of days," Defence Secretary John Healy told the Commons on Monday afternoon.

The voyage to Cyprus is expected to take several days, meaning the Type 45 destroyer may not reach the island until the weekend at the earliest.

Keir Starmer said the warship would be deployed after RAF Akrotiri was struck by a kamikaze drone on Sunday, March 1. It is believed the attack was launched by Hezbollah militants in Lebanon.

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