French Rafale fighter jets have commenced defensive patrols over the United Arab Emirates following an Iranian drone strike on a French military hangar at Al Dhafra Air Base near Abu Dhabi on March 1, 2026. The attack caused limited damage with no casualties reported. Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot stated on March 3 that the Rafales and their pilots are mobilized to secure airspace above French bases, conducting patrols and protective operations against potential Iranian threats. France maintains hundreds of navy, air force, and army personnel in the UAE under longstanding defense agreements, with the jets providing deterrence, reconnaissance, and rapid response capabilities.
This deployment follows U.S. and Israeli strikes on Iran on March 1, which killed Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, prompting Iranian retaliation against U.S. allies in the Gulf. Additional incidents include a drone hit on an Abu Dhabi fuel terminal, sparking a fire without disrupting operations, and strikes on two Amazon data centers, interrupting regional cloud services.
Simultaneously, France announced plans to reinforce Cyprus defenses after a drone attack on the British RAF Akrotiri base, likely from Hezbollah-controlled areas in Lebanon. Paris intends to dispatch a frigate, anti-missile systems, and anti-drone defenses. Greece has already deployed two frigates and F-16 jets in response to Cyprus’s request, invoking EU mutual defense discussions under Article 42(7), though the European Commission noted no formal activation as the strike targeted a UK sovereign base. UK officials reported minimal damage and no casualties at Akrotiri, with two further drones intercepted.