France allows US aircraft on mainland base for non-combat purposes

 

France has permitted US non-combat aircraft to use an airbase on the French mainland with the “complete guarantee” that these aircraft “do not participate in any way in US operations in Iran” only in defense of regional partners, a spokesperson for the French Armed Forces told CNN Thursday.

Non-combat support aircraft have been permitted to use the Istres air base outside of Marseille in the south of France. The spokesperson added that this was a “routine procedure” with the framework of NATO.

France has not permitted US aircraft to use the country’s air bases in the Middle East region.

According to a source close to French President Emmanuel Macron, France will `also coordinate with Italy and Greece in shoring up defenses in Cyprus, which was hit by a drone attack.

European dilemma: Like other US allies in Europe, France has faced tough choices about how far to get involved in the conflict. President Emmanuel Macron said the US-Israeli attacks were “conducted outside the framework of international law” while blaming Iran for the escalation that follows.

France cut short the deployment of its aircraft carrier strike group to the Baltic to respond to the Iranian bombing campaign, with French aircraft already credited with shooting down drones in defense of Gulf allies.