In unexpected move, France claims it intercepted drones targeting Israel
Defense Minister Lecornu reveals French forces downed multiple drones before Iran's ceasefire, surprising many given Paris’s usual tone on Israel.
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France's military actively intercepted Iranian drones targeting Israel in the days leading up to this week’s ceasefire, Defense Minister Sébastien Lecornu confirmed Wednesday evening. Speaking before Parliament during a debate on the Middle East, Lecornu said the French army engaged in defensive operations as Iran launched a large-scale assault on Israel.
"I can confirm that the French army intercepted fewer than 10 drones over the last few days, during Iran's military operations against Israelhttps://www.jfeed.com/news-israel/iran-israel-conflict-analysis, either through ground-to-air systems or using our Rafale fighter jets," Lecornu stated.
He added that during the 12-day conflict, Iran launched approximately 400 ballistic missiles and 1,000 drones toward Israel. The conflict began when Israel struck Iranian military and nuclear sites on June 13, in what it called a preemptive effort to cripple Tehran’s nuclear threat. That attack reportedly eliminated senior Iranian military leaders and several nuclear scientists.
Iran's retaliation killed at least 28 people in Israel and caused widespread damage. According to Iranian authorities, Israel’s strikes killed 610 people and injured nearly 5,000 in Iran before a ceasefire took effect on Tuesday.