France Deploys Military Assets to Protect Saudi Oil Terminal from Houthi Attacks

French President Emmanuel Macron has announced that France will send 'military means' to help protect the Saudi oil terminal of Yanbu from attacks by Yemen's Iran-backed Houthis. The decision comes as the Houthi takeover of Yemen's Red Sea coast has cemented Iran and its regional allies' hold on key waterways in the Middle East, including the straits of Bab al-Mandab and Hormuz.

The Strait of Hormuz is a major shipping artery for global energy flows, and Saudi Arabia has been relying on the Red Sea port of Yanbu to export oil since Iran blockaded the strait at the start of the Middle East war. The Houthis have carried out attacks against facilities belonging to Saudi oil giant Aramco in Yanbu.

Macron stated that France will send 'soldiers, radars, and defense systems' to protect the site, without providing further details on the scope or timeline of the deployment.