French president explains decision not to join US-led strikes on Houthis

But French forces would continue work to ensure freedom of navigation in the Red Sea, he stated at a news conference in Paris on Tuesday.

“We interrupted missiles and drones which were going to strike Norwegian ships. And so we act to protect our own equipment and the equipment of our allies,” Macron added.

France joined a multinational naval task force in December to protect ships from Houthi attacks in the Red Sea.

In solidarity with the Palestinians in besieged territory, the Yemeni armed forces have targeted ships in the Red Sea with owners linked to Israel or those going to and from ports in the occupied territories.

In response, the US has formed a military coalition against Yemeni forces in the Red Sea and endangered maritime navigation in the strategic waterway.

The US and the UK, backed by Bahrain, Australia, Canada and the Netherlands, struck more than 60 targets at almost 30 locations in Yemen on Friday, killing five people and injuring six others.

On Saturday, the US Central Command (CENTCOM) announced that a “follow-on action” was conducted against a Yemeni radar facility in Sana’a by the Navy destroyer USS Carney using Tomahawk land attack missiles.

The assaults prompted Yemen’s Supreme Political Council to issue a statement, saying “all American-British interests have become legitimate targets”.