France has sent the carrier strike group built around the Charles de Gaulle into the Red Sea and toward the Gulf of Aden, positioning the force for a potential operation aimed at safeguarding maritime traffic through the Strait of Hormuz, according to the Armed Forces Ministry on Wednesday.
The nuclear-powered carrier and its accompanying vessels were scheduled to pass through the Suez Canal on Wednesday after nearly two months operating in the eastern Mediterranean. French officials stressed that the deployment is independent of the military actions currently taking place in the region.
France and the United Kingdom are spearheading a coalition of more than 40 nations working on plans to restore secure shipping routes through the Strait of Hormuz, where navigation has been disrupted amid tensions between the United States and Iran. French President Emmanuel Macron has stated that any multinational effort in the area would begin only after the most intense stage of the conflict has eased.
In a statement posted on X, the French Joint Staff said the carrier strike group was moving toward the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden in response to the changing security situation around Hormuz. Officials described the deployment as a defensive measure intended to reinforce regional stability while remaining consistent with international law.
European governments have largely avoided direct involvement in the U.S.-Israeli strikes on Iran and have declined appeals from U.S. President Donald Trump to join efforts securing the strait. Trump criticized European allies for their reluctance before later saying Washington could manage the mission without outside assistance.
On Sunday, Trump announced the launch of “Project Freedom,” an initiative aimed at protecting commercial shipping in the Strait of Hormuz, though he later said on Tuesday that the operation had been paused temporarily.
French officials said the repositioning of the carrier group is designed to shorten response times for any future multinational Hormuz mission once conditions allow. Both France and the U.K. have emphasized that the proposed operation would focus solely on defense and would be coordinated with regional partners.
According to the ministry, the deployment will also give the strike group an opportunity to evaluate operational conditions in the region, coordinate with allied forces, and reassure international shipping companies.
The Charles de Gaulle had been operating in the Mediterranean with an air wing that included 20 Rafale fighter jets, two E-2C Hawkeye airborne warning aircraft, and three helicopters. France remains the only nation besides the United States to operate a nuclear-powered aircraft carrier equipped with catapult launch systems, enabling the use of fixed-wing airborne early warning aircraft and allowing fighter jets to carry heavier payloads.
Meanwhile, the Netherlands confirmed that the air-defense frigate HNLMS Evertsen, previously attached to the French carrier group, has departed the mission and is returning to its home port in Den Helder.
