French President Emmanuel Macron has said that France will send troops to protect an oil facility in Saudi Arabia. At the same time, the Iran-backed Houthi armed group claimed to have launched new attacks on Saudi Arabia.
Macron said in an interview on Thursday that he would send soldiers and provide military support to help protect the Saudi port of Yanbu. Saudi Arabia came under attack by the Houthis on Thursday, and Saudi authorities said they had intercepted missiles fired at the Red Sea port of Yanbu and the city of Taif.
Macron said: "We will send military forces — that is, soldiers, radar systems and defense systems — to protect the Yanbu facility along the Red Sea coast." He added that French military personnel would not take part in combat. "We will not be drawn into any conflict, but will only protect this facility."
A Houthi spokesman said the group carried out two attacks on Saudi Arabia using ballistic missiles, cruise missiles and drones. According to the statement, the first attack targeted a "sensitive target" in Riyadh, while the second targeted Saudi Aramco's facility in Yanbu.
Brent crude settled above $106 a barrel, after reports that the United States and Iran were discussing a phased agreement to reopen the Strait of Hormuz briefly narrowed the price gains. Saudi Foreign Minister Faisal bin Farhan Al Saud said during the United Nations General Assembly in New York that the international community should shoulder the responsibility of containing the threat posed by the Houthis. He said the Houthis "pose a risk to international security and stability." He said: "The responsibility for dealing with this threat does not rest with Saudi Arabia alone."
Macron's pledge came as France's domestic situation grows increasingly tense due to soaring fuel prices. Macron insisted that the situation was caused by international conflicts, including the U.S. war in Iran and the resulting disruption to the Strait of Hormuz.
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