The French aircraft carrier “Charles de Gaulle” and its escort train.Image: Marine Nationale
The European states, led by France, have assembled a small armada in the Cyprus area. The deployment is unprecedented for peacetime. The most important questions and answers.
Mar 14, 2026, 3:46 p.mMar 14, 2026, 3:46 p.m
Remo Hess, Brussels / ch media
The war in Iran is getting closer to the Europeans: A French officer was killed and several French soldiers injured in a drone attack in northern Iraq, President Emmanuel Macron announced on Friday.
At the same time, the Europeans are also moving closer to war: In the past few days, various European states have assembled a small armada in the eastern Mediterranean. Is Europe joining the war in the Middle East?
The most important questions and answers:
What forces do the Europeans have on site?
There are currently over 20 European warships in the Eastern Mediterranean. At the center of the march is the French aircraft carrier “Charles de Gaulle”. It has 30 Rafale fighter jets, three reconnaissance aircraft and three helicopters on board. The aircraft carrier is accompanied by a total of eight French frigates.
There are also Dutch, Italian, Spanish and Greek warships. France has also ordered two of its Mistral-class helicopter carriers and at least one nuclear-powered submarine to the region. According to French specialist media, around 80 percent of the 28 larger ships in the French Navy are deployed on the high seas. The home ports in Toulon and Brest are largely empty. Such a deployment is unprecedented in peacetime.
Where are the British and the Germans?
Germany is only present with the frigate “North Rhine-Westphalia”. She is patrolling the coast of Lebanon as part of a UN mission. Additional German naval forces are currently tied up in the North Atlantic.
Here the German frigate leaves the port in Limassol on March 12th.Image: keystone
The British are absent, although their air base in Cyprus was the target of an Iranian drone attack almost two weeks ago. The reason: The once proud “Royal Navy” is in poor condition. The majority of the ships are not operational due to maintenance work.
The air defense destroyer “HMS Dragon” left England just two days ago and will reach the area in around a week. The “HMS Prince of Wales”, currently the only operational aircraft carrier, is moored in Portsmouth harbor. He was put on heightened alert. According to British government circles, there are no plans to send him out soon.
What is the purpose of the march?
Primary: Protect the EU country Cyprus from further threats. But also signal your presence to partner states in the region.
The eastern Mediterranean also serves as a staging area: through the Suez Canal you can quickly reach the Red Sea on the Arabian Peninsula. The EU naval mission “Aspides” is already in operation there, around the Gulf of Aden. It currently includes three warships that have been protecting cargo traffic against attacks by the Yemeni Houthi militia since 2024. France has now sent two additional frigates to reinforce “Aspides”.
There is discussion about extending the mission’s mandate to the Strait of Hormuz in the Persian Gulf, which is blocked by Iran. After a video conference of the G-7 states, French President Emmanuel Macron announced such a “purely defensive” initiative on Wednesday. Accordingly, the French head of state is working on a coalition of countries that would be willing to take part.
How realistic is European intervention?
Escorting tankers and merchant ships through the Strait of Hormuz would not only involve great costs but also risks. Especially if the Iranians had mined the strait, as initial reports suggest. European warships would also be an easy target for Iran’s cheap drones. Direct participation in the war could hardly be avoided.
According to Macron, the protection mission could only start “as soon as the hottest phase of the conflict” is over. As soon as that is the case, the Europeans want to be ready.
(aargauerzeitung.ch)