Europe is being drawn into military operations in a war it considers illegal

France and the United Kingdom have already deployed military forces and equipment to the Middle East, despite criticism of the United States and Israel for the offensive against Iran, which has ignited a rapidly escalating conflict in the region. Paris and London remain wary of an operation they fear could draw Europe into the conflict, but have ordered the mobilization of fighter jets, frigates, and anti-aircraft systems to protect the interests of their allies, both European and Arab.

The Netherlands is considering sending troops to participate in the operation. Greece, which has decided to install an anti-missile battery on the Mediterranean island of Karpathos, has sent warships to Cyprus. This island, an EU member located about 125 miles from Lebanon, a country also affected by the conflict, and about 215 miles from Israel, hosts two British RAF bases. A drone crashed there on Monday.

The war has also touched NATO territory: Turkey reported on Wednesday that systems of the Atlantic Alliance installed on its soil shot down a missile, raising fears that the chaos could spread further, with unpredictable consequences.

In the EU, the High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, Kaja Kallas, together with the Bahraini presidency, has convened a Joint Council of the Union and the Gulf countries to “work together on de-escalation, safeguarding regional security and respect for international law,” an EU spokesperson explained. “Our partners in the Gulf Cooperation Council can fully count on the EU’s firm support in these turbulent times,” the spokesperson emphasized.

Threat of Iranian attack

Meanwhile, the Iranian regime has warned that it will attack cities in any European country that joins the military operation led by U.S. President Donald Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. European countries are calling these “defensive operations,” which they categorically deny are related to any actions by the U.S. and Israel.

However, defensive operations can quickly turn offensive. France, the most active country at the moment, believes that when entering a military scenario, a certain number of actions cannot be ruled out in principle. That is, if Iran attacks any of its forces, they could retaliate, even striking on Iranian soil. “And that is defensive. Because we are joining the U.S. and Israeli operation,” diplomatic sources explain.

Paris is also attempting to assemble a coalition to protect “freedom of navigation.” The mobilization aims to ensure the normal operation of the Strait of Hormuz and allow commercial vessels to continue transporting, primarily, oil and liquefied natural gas, diplomatic sources emphasize. This waterway, between Iran and Oman, is crucial, as it represents the main route for transporting crude oil from countries like Saudi Arabia and Kuwait to other destinations.

“That operation will be carried out with the deterrent effect of those ships,” explain sources at the Élysée Palace. “The Strait is closed because the companies don’t want to take the risk, but there is no physical obstacle. We will mount a strictly European operation. Although that doesn’t mean they won’t communicate with any American ships that might be present,” the same sources indicate. To that end, French President Emmanuel Macron confirmed that he has sent a frigate to Cyprus following the attacks. He also confirmed the deployment of the nuclear-powered aircraft carrier Charles de Gaulle, France’s most important military asset, which will set sail for the Mediterranean.

On Wednesday, a Maltese-flagged container ship was struck by an unidentified projectile while attempting to transit the Strait of Hormuz. The crew abandoned ship and are safe, according to the UK’s maritime trade operations body, which monitors maritime safety. It was the seventh merchant vessel hit in the Persian Gulf region since the start of the U.S.-Israeli offensive against Iran.

The United Kingdom announced Tuesday that it will deploy a warship, the destroyer HMS Dragon, to the Mediterranean, as well as helicopters equipped with anti-drone systems, following an Iranian drone attack on one of its military bases in Cyprus. The British government also stated that a team of air defense experts has been dispatched to the region, although the Ministry of Defence did not specify the number or their deployment location.

Meanwhile, France is clear that it must lead the European defensive movement and that it can no longer rely on Washington. And in this new geopolitical and military conception another front it has open — one that could be seriously affected by the attack on Iran — is Lebanon, where Macron had personally participated in the peace process, which included provisions for the disarmament of the Hezbollah militia in favor of the Lebanese Armed Forces and a specific conference on the region. The U.S. military operation has now disrupted all those plans. The feeling at the Élysée Palace is that the U.S. has dragged Europe into an operation that appears strategically flawed.

Macron’s inner circle is now emphasizing that France will not accept or allow the war to escalate without taking action. “There is room for maneuver to avert the worst. We are in southern Lebanon. We support the prime minister’s announcements regarding the deployment of the Lebanese Navy. We can do this with the support of our partners; this is the purpose of Thursday’s conference.”

The French Ministry of Defense has not provided details on the nature of the defensive deployment. France has approximately 900 military personnel stationed in Abu Dhabi at the Mina Zayed naval base and the Al Dhafra air base. French Rafale fighter jets from that base were deployed over the weekend to neutralize drones. Furthermore, Paris has defense agreements with several states in the region, including the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, and Kuwait, all of which are affected. If these countries request it, Paris could decide to mobilize the military assets it already has deployed in the area.

The war in Iran is not France’s war. Paris reiterated this on Wednesday through diplomatic sources, who insisted that the U.S. and Israeli attack on the ayatollahs’ regime “is outside international law” and that France does not condone it. Even so, France has embarked on defensive operations. “That war is not ours, but we have responsibilities to our partners. This crisis adds to everything that is happening in Ukraine and to the instability in our region. We want to be reliable, predictable, and provide reassurance to our partners: in the Mediterranean, the Gulf region, and the Middle East,” diplomatic sources explained.

Furthermore, France has requested that the Netherlands send the air defense frigate HNLMS Evertsen to support the Charles de Gaulle in the eastern Mediterranean. The Dutch center-right government is currently considering the request, according to a letter sent to parliament by the Ministries of Foreign Affairs and Defense.

The Evertsen has participated in an international exercise in the Baltic Sea over the past few weeks, involving 25 ships, 140 aircraft, 1,200 drones, and military personnel from 24 countries. The Dutch ship has approximately 170 defense personnel on board and is one of only four of its class equipped to intercept missiles and drones.

With reporting from Isabel Ferrer (The Hague) and Rafa de Miguel (London).

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