France offers 'strictly defensive' support to protect Saudi energy infrastructure

France is willing to help protect Saudi Arabia's energy infrastructure in a “strictly defensive” capacity, the Foreign Ministry said Thursday amid heightened regional security tensions.

“We assure Saudi Arabia of our full solidarity in the face of these attacks,” a ministry spokesperson said.

The spokesperson said France was willing to participate in protecting energy infrastructure, particularly facilities in Yanbu and the East-West pipeline.

“Our willingness to participate, in a strictly defensive manner, in the protection of energy infrastructure, particularly Yanbu and the East-West pipeline in Saudi Arabia,” the spokesperson said.

The remarks came after Houthis in Yemen warned airlines Monday that Saudi airspace could become a “theater of military operations.”

Saudi Arabia reported three deaths Wednesday in attacks targeting its airports, including one in the capital Riyadh.

“We have very firmly condemned all these attacks by the Houthis, which must stop, particularly the latest attacks you mentioned yesterday,” the spokesperson said.

On the Strait of Hormuz, the ministry said the international community had a collective interest in restoring maritime traffic and upholding international law.

“We, the international community, have a collective interest in strictly upholding international law [...] to restore the flow of maritime traffic along the Strait of Hormuz,” the spokesperson said.

France is also participating in the EU's Aspides maritime security operation in the region, the spokesperson said, without disclosing the French assets involved.

“France is participating, with assets that it is not for me to comment on, in the Aspides operation,” the spokesperson said.

The spokesperson said France had supported the mission since its launch in February 2024 and would continue to support its implementation and any possible evolution depending on regional security conditions.