00:05As he stepped aboard France's flagship aircraft carrier, the Charles de Gaulle,
00:11Emmanuel Macron insisted that French forces in the Eastern Mediterranean were on a defensive mission.
00:19We are not a part of this offensive.
00:22Our objective is to protect our nationals.
00:25And we're putting ourselves in a position to defend them for the next few weeks and months if necessary.
00:32The Charles de Gaulle is currently sailing off the coast of Crete, west of Cyprus,
00:38where Macron touched down earlier Monday.
00:41He came to deliver a message of reassurance to France's European allies,
00:45who found themselves in Iran's crosshairs.
00:48Macron pledged to defend Cyprus after it was targeted by Iranian drones.
00:55He announced a large naval build-up, including eight frigates, two amphibious helicopter carriers
01:01and the Charles de Gaulle aircraft carrier already in the region.
01:05Macron also went further, adding that French naval forces could eventually help reopen the Strait of Hormuz.
01:12We are currently setting up a purely defensive, purely support mission, whose purpose is to allow, as soon as possible,
01:23after the most intense phase of the conflict, the escort of container ships and tankers to gradually reopen the Strait
01:32of Hormuz.
01:35Roughly one-fifth of the world's oil supplies pass through the Strait of Hormuz.
01:39But after more than a week of conflict in the region, maritime traffic has all but come to a standstill,
01:45driving up the price of oil to its highest level since 2022.
01:49do.
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