PARIS, May 6 (Xinhua) -- France's Charles de Gaulle aircraft carrier group crossed the Suez Canal on Wednesday and is heading toward the southern Red Sea, the French Ministry of Armed Forces said in a statement.
According to the ministry, the deployment to the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden is aimed at supporting a multinational maritime security initiative jointly developed by France, Britain and partner countries.
France and Britain hosted an international summit on the Strait of Hormuz in Paris on April 17, bringing together representatives from 51 countries. Following the meeting, British Prime Minister Keir Starmer said the two countries would lead a multinational mission to help safeguard shipping routes when conditions permit. Starmer said the initiative would remain strictly defensive in nature and would focus on reassuring commercial maritime traffic and supporting mine-clearing operations.
The French ministry said the deployment of the carrier strike group is intended to assess the regional operational environment ahead of the initiative's launch and could provide additional crisis response options to strengthen regional security.
The ministry added that the deployment is separate from ongoing military operations in the region and is designed to complement the existing security framework. ■
