The French military headquarters embarked on Saturday on a clarification operation to refute several erroneous information circulating about France’s military engagement in the Middle East. Faced with the proliferation of rumors and manipulated content, the military headquarters aimed to set the record straight on its naval and land deployments and its strategic posture.
The aircraft carrier Charles de Gaulle maintained in the Mediterranean
The army formally denied any movement of the naval air group (GAN) towards the Strait of Hormuz. The French Army stated that the aircraft carrier Charles de Gaulle is currently deployed in the Mediterranean to participate in the preservation of freedom of navigation, “there is no question of it moving towards the Strait of Hormuz,” said the spokesperson for the chief of the armed forces.
The spokesperson specifically denounced the viral circulation of images showing the French vessel on fire or hit by Iranian missiles.
“These images are false and have been entirely generated by artificial intelligence,” emphasized the spokesperson, warning against these attempts of informational destabilization.
A strictly defensive posture
Operationally, Paris affirms that its forces are not engaged in an offensive dynamic against Iran alongside the United States. France adopts a defensive posture, articulated around two axes:
– Protection of facilities: Deployment of surface-to-air defense means to secure the bases where French military personnel are housed. – Support for partners: Interception of drones or missiles as soon as they threaten the airspace of allies or French interests, in accordance with the defense agreements in force.
Clarifications on the presence in Iraq
The headquarters also sought to correct a persistent chronological error on social media. While some messages suggest a recent deployment, the army reminds that French forces have been present in Iraq since 2014-2015 as part of the multinational operation Inherent Resolve.
These detachments, located notably in Baghdad and Erbil, remain focused on their initial mission: supporting Iraqi forces and combating the resurgence of the Islamic State organization (Daesh).
Information warfare
The military headquarters stresses that this narrative aims to legitimize possible hostile actions against France or compel actors to align with its position. Paris reaffirms that it acts solely out of responsibility to honor its defense agreements. Faced with the complexity of the conflict, the army calls for avoiding adding disinformation to the current tensions.
