After the United States, which announced on Wednesday February 2 the sending of military reinforcements to the Gulf, France will in turn come to the aid of the United Arab Emirates (UAE). The petromonarchy has been the target in recent weeks of a series of drone and missile attacks, claimed mainly by Houthi rebels in Yemen, which have caused the death of three people.
On Friday, the Minister of Armies, Florence Parly, said on Twitter that the French authorities had “decided to provide military support” in the Emirates, their closest partner in the Gulf, “in particular to protect their airspace against any intrusion”.
In concrete terms, the squadron of seven French Rafales based in the UAE will be deployed in the skies of the Emirati, for the purpose of “surveillance, detection and interception if necessary”in the terms of Mme Parley. This decision is the result of Abu Dhabi’s activation of the defense agreement that has linked the two countries since 1995. Emirati General Saleh Al-Ameri, in charge of joint operations, visited the General Staff of the French armies on Friday. , to discuss the terms of hexagonal support.
“Context of the American disengagement”
“It is mainly a political act, a way for France to show its solidarity with its Emirati ally, while the Gulf monarchies, in the context of the American disengagement in the Middle East and the rise of tensions with Iran , are increasingly wondering if their partners will be there when they need them”analyzes Cinzia Bianco, Gulf specialist at the European Council on Foreign Relations.
In Yemen, the Emirates have participated since 2015 in the coalition under Saudi command which supports government troops at war against the Houthis. While Abu Dhabi repatriated a large part of its contingent in 2019, it remains an influential player in the conflict. His forces there are arming and training a brigade that has inflicted major setbacks on insurgents in recent weeks in the Shabwa region of southern Yemen.
The Rafales have already gone into action. Since January 24, the tricolor fighter jets have carried out two patrols a day in the Emirati airspace. A Crotale-type short-range surface-to-air defense system is also being deployed. Opened in 2009, the French base in Abu Dhabi is home to around 650 soldiers, spread around several locations, including two ports, a right of way for land forces, and an air base.
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