France’s Charles de Gaulle aircraft carrier strike group has entered the Red Sea after transiting the Suez Canal, as Paris and London step up preparations for a potential naval mission aimed at securing shipping lanes near the Strait of Hormuz.
The French Armed Forces ministry said the carrier group crossed the canal on Wednesday and is heading toward the southern Red Sea, near the Gulf of Aden, positioning itself closer to key maritime chokepoints affected by ongoing regional tensions.
The deployment follows the group’s earlier stationing in the eastern Mediterranean, shortly after U.S. and Israeli air strikes on Iran triggered a broader escalation that has disrupted maritime traffic across the region.
France and Britain are leading discussions on forming an international maritime coalition to safeguard navigation through the Strait of Hormuz, a critical artery for global energy supplies through which roughly 20% of the world’s oil passes.
Shipping routes in the strait have faced significant disruption since the conflict with Iran intensified, raising concerns over energy security and global trade flows.
The carrier group is capable of sustained deployment at sea for up to five months, providing extended operational flexibility as Western allies assess the timing and scope of any coordinated naval mission.