World·Red Sea
France moves to harden Yanbu as Houthis keep targeting Saudi Arabia
French President Emmanuel Macron said France will send soldiers, radar systems and air-defense systems to help protect the Red Sea port city of Yanbu in Saudi Arabia, a key energy-export hub under missile attack from Yemen’s Iran-backed Houthis, Reuters reported via Defense News. “We are going to send military resources … to protect this site — not to get us involved in any conflicts, but to protect this site,” Macron said in a primetime French television interview. Early Saturday, Reuters reported the Saudi-led coalition said it intercepted two Houthi drones headed toward Riyadh and a ballistic missile toward Khamis Mushait, underscoring that proxy strikes on the kingdom continue even as Tehran talks about reopening Hormuz.
Sources
- Defense News / ReutersFrance to send military to protect Saudi Arabia on Red Sea oil route, Macron says
- ReutersIran awaits US move after WSJ report says Trump rejects peace plan