France leads as Europe bolsters Middle East defenses By JONATHAN POWELL in London | China Daily Global | Updated: 2026-03-11 09:20

https://www.chinadaily.com.cn/a/202603/11/WS69b0c37ba310d6866eb3d21b.html France said it is dispatching warships, led by its aircraft carrier strike group, to the Mediterranean and Red Sea and, if required, into the Strait of Hormuz, as part of a defensive move to bolster allies in the ongoing Middle East conflict, which reached its 11th day on Tuesday.