PARIS: France on Sunday condemned missile and drone attacks carried out by Yemen’s Houthi rebels on Israeli targets, warning that their involvement risks further escalating tensions in the already volatile Middle East.
According to a Houthi spokesman, the group targeted “several vital and military sites” in Israel on Saturday, coinciding with intensified Israeli strikes on Iran’s military facilities. The attacks come after more than a month of Israeli and U.S. bombardment of Iranian targets, with Iran retaliating against U.S.-linked interests in wealthy Gulf nations.
French Foreign Ministry spokesperson Pascal Confavreux described the Houthi attacks as “irresponsible” and called on the group to refrain from any further hostilities. He stressed that all efforts must be made “to avoid an even greater escalation of the conflict,” which has already claimed thousands of lives across the region and disrupted global energy markets.
The ongoing war has significantly affected maritime traffic through the Strait of Hormuz, a crucial shipping lane through which roughly one-fifth of the world’s crude oil passes, along with large shipments of gas and fertilizers. Alternative routes involve passage through the Red Sea or the much longer journey around the southern tip of Africa.
Houthi forces could potentially disrupt Red Sea shipping, as they have done previously during Israel’s military operations in Gaza. Meanwhile, the European Union announced on March 16 that it would not extend its naval mission in the Red Sea to reopen the Strait of Hormuz.
U.S. President Donald Trump had previously criticized EU and NATO nations for not agreeing to escort ships through the strait, highlighting growing concerns over the security of global energy and trade routes.
