Crisi in Medio Oriente: la Francia schiera nel Mediterraneo la portaelicotteri anfibia Tonnerre

>France has more than 20,000 citizens in Lebanon (including dual nationals) and 700 military personnel serving with the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL). This led to the decision to deploy an amphibious helicopter carrier (PHA) to the Eastern Mediterranean, in preparation for a potential RESEVAC-type operation (evacuation of citizens). The French Armed Forces General Staff (EMA) announced this on March 6.
[…]
The amphibious assault ship Tonnerre had just returned to Toulon after participating in a MASCAL (Mass Casualty) exercise during the Orion 26 joint maneuvers.
This MASCAL exercise aimed to test the ship’s ability to handle a mass casualty incident and to strengthen the medical staff’s management of casualty flow. The medical command chain was tasked with regulating incoming and outgoing MEDEVAC (medical evacuations) and the associated medical logistics, the French Armed Forces General Staff (EMA) recently summarized.

It’s starting to be a big deployment in the Eastern Med.

France also has the FREMM Languedoc around Cyprus, and the CDG GAN just passed Gibraltar with:

– FREMM Alsace

– FDA Chevalier Paul

– Destroyer Andrea Doria (Italy)

– Frigate HNLMS Eversten (Netherlands)

– Frigate Cristóbal Colón (Spain)

– BRF Jacques Chevalier

– SNA Dugay-Trouin

Lot of AD boats too…

This is following the French CEMA (Chief of Staff) visiting Lebanon and meeting with the President.

Nice ship