U.S. Ally Sends Troops To The Middle East

France is preparing to deploy troops, radar equipment and defense systems to Saudi Arabia as Houthi attacks place growing pressure on one of the kingdom’s most important energy hubs.

French President Emmanuel Macron announced Thursday that Paris has finalized an agreement with Saudi officials to protect Yanbu, the Red Sea port city that serves as a critical outlet for Saudi oil exports. The deployment will include French soldiers as well as radar and defensive systems intended to shield the area from missile and drone attacks.

“This is the agreement we have finalized with the Saudis: We are going to send military resources, that is to say, soldiers, radar systems and defense systems, to protect this site,” Macron told French broadcasters TF1 and France 2.

Macron stressed that the mission will be defensive rather than an attempt to bring France directly into the expanding conflict. He said the forces are being sent “not to get us involved in any conflicts, but to protect this site.”

Yanbu has taken on increased importance as fighting involving the Houthis threatens energy infrastructure and shipping routes throughout the region. The city is connected to Saudi Arabia’s oil-producing regions near the Persian Gulf by the East-West pipeline, also known as Petroline, allowing crude to reach the Red Sea without relying exclusively on routes through the Strait of Hormuz.

That alternative has become increasingly important as instability has spread across the Middle East.

President Donald J. Trump holds a bilateral meeting with French President Emmanuel Macron, Monday, February 24, 2025, in the Oval Office of the White House – USA (Official Photo by Molly Riley)

The Iran-backed Houthis have repeatedly targeted Saudi territory since fighting escalated in July, striking cities, vessels and energy infrastructure. The group recently claimed an attack on an Aramco facility in Yanbu while also launching missiles and drones toward Riyadh. Saudi air defenses said they destroyed a missile headed toward the capital and thwarted additional attacks targeting several other locations.

The pressure continued Thursday, when the Saudi-led coalition said six ballistic missiles had been intercepted during attempted attacks on Yanbu and Taif. Saudi authorities also issued temporary warnings covering several regions, including Mecca, Jeddah, Tabuk, Taif and Yanbu.

France is not the only Saudi partner weighing additional assistance.

Britain has agreed to provide limited defensive air-to-air refueling support, while Turkey has indicated it is prepared to assist Riyadh under a recently signed trilateral defense agreement involving Saudi Arabia, Turkey and Pakistan. Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan said Saudi Arabia could require military assistance as Houthi attacks continue.

The attacks are unfolding alongside heavy fighting inside Yemen. Houthi forces have pushed deeper into strategic areas while Saudi-backed forces attempt to prevent the group from consolidating control over territory near the Red Sea. The United Nations has reported hundreds killed and more than 130,000 people displaced inside Yemen during the latest escalation.

The growing threat to Yanbu has broader implications beyond Saudi Arabia. The port provides an important route for crude and petroleum products headed toward European markets, making its security increasingly important as conflict threatens multiple energy corridors.

Macron’s announcement now puts French military personnel directly into the effort to defend that route, with Paris insisting its mission will remain focused on protecting Saudi energy infrastructure rather than joining offensive operations against the Houthis.