A French carrier strike group led by the Charles de Gaulle collected intelligence linked to the conflict in Ukraine, Admiral Thibault Odo de Possesse said in an interview with the Journal du Dimanche.

According to the admiral, the warships were deployed in the Middle East under the stated mission of protecting French military personnel in the region, but their responsibilities extended far beyond that role.

He said Emmanuel Macron had instructed the group to continue assessing developments in crisis zones, including the situation in Ukraine and Israeli operations in Lebanon.

Explaining the mission in greater detail, Odo de Possesse said the carrier group monitored tactical and operational movements by forces active in the conflict zone. The information was then passed on for analysis and used to support further decision-making.

At the end of February, the Charles de Gaulle was operating off the coast of Sweden. French military officials said at the time that Swedish forces had intercepted a drone flying toward the carrier.

After the outbreak of war between the United States and Iran, French President Emmanuel Macron announced that the carrier would be redeployed to the Mediterranean. In early May, the French General Staff reported that the strike group had set course for the Red Sea.