French President Macron Accuses Iran of “Disproportionate Attack” on Israeli Soil
French President Emmanuel Macron has accused Iran of carrying out a “disproportionate attack” against Israeli territory, confirming that French forces participated in intercepting Iranian missiles and drones.
In an interview on BFMTV television, Macron stated, “For the first time, Iran has decided to send missiles from its soil to Israel. It is something dangerous, they have decided to strike in an unprecedented way. We have to be on Israel’s side, but ask for proportionality in the response.”
Macron attributed the Iranian attack as a response to an action by Israel against an Iranian diplomatic headquarters in Damascus but deemed it “disproportionate.”
French planes took off from their base in Jordan on Saturday night to intercept the projectiles at the request of Jordan. The intervention, which occurred due to a violation of Jordanian airspace, was coordinated with the United States and the United Kingdom.
The French president emphasized Israel’s right to defend itself but urged for a proportionate response. He suggested carrying out “bombings of (Iranian) military interests in a calibrated manner to put an end to this situation.”
Macron, who participated in a virtual meeting of G7 leaders on Sunday, will speak with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to advocate for a ceasefire in Gaza.
He commended the change in stance of the United States, highlighting their role in containing Iran with sanctions that limit its access to nuclear weapons and missile production.
The French president emphasized the importance of proportionality in countering terrorism, stating that France’s intervention to intercept Iranian projectiles demonstrates its credibility as a partner. EFE