France deploys military resources to protect a Saudi oil facility after a Houthi attack

(CNN) - As world leaders meet at the United Nations General Assembly amid growing concerns about the conflict in the Middle East and the possible closure of the Strait of Hormuz, French President Emmanuel Macron announced that France will deploy defense resources - including military elements - to help protect a major Saudi oil export facility that was damaged by a recent attack by the Iranian-backed Houthis in Yemen.

In a television interview with TF1 and France 2 channels on Thursday, Macron said that France had ended its talks with Saudi Arabia to help secure the “Yanbu” energy export complex located on the Red Sea coast.

He added: "We will send military resources - that is, soldiers, radars and defensive systems - to protect this site; not to engage in any conflict, but to protect this site."

He noted that the facility previously handled more than 5 million barrels of oil per day, describing the protection of the region's energy infrastructure as "part of a broader effort to prevent disruptions to global fuel supplies."

Macron also stated that he recently received Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, the Iraqi Prime Minister, and leaders from Jordan and Lebanon, as part of efforts to secure alternative energy paths and ensure continued supplies.

It is noteworthy that France has already strengthened its military presence in the region, sending Rafale fighters to the UAE and deploying the nuclear-powered aircraft carrier Charles de Gaulle in the Mediterranean, with the expansion of the conflict in the Middle East.