Olivier Cadic, Senator for French People Living Abroad
What we are experiencing in the Middle East is not just another crisis. It is a strategic shift. Since February 28, 2026, an open conflict has unfolded between the United States and Israel against Iran, marking the end of decades of indirect confrontations. We are now in a regional escalatory war that threatens global balance.
This conflict did not arise out of nowhere. Since the Islamic revolution of 1979, the Iranian regime has made hostility towards Israel a cornerstone of its foreign policy, relying on armed proxies such as Hezbollah in Lebanon, Hamas in the Gaza Strip, Iraqi militias, and the Houthis in Yemen to project its power. In addition to this strategy, there is the Iranian nuclear program, an existential threat to Israel and the United States. It is this combination that has led to the current rupture.
The conflict has now far surpassed its initial protagonists. Iranian strikes have targeted Qatar, a producer of 20% of the world’s liquefied natural gas (LNG), and hit the United Arab Emirates with 40% of the attacks. The Strait of Hormuz, through which 20% of the world’s oil flows, has become a critical point of tension. The risk of a global economic shock is very real.
In Lebanon, Hezbollah unilaterally decided to enter the conflict, dragging a country where neither the authorities nor the population wanted this war. Its operations are now led by the Iranian Revolutionary Guards. This speaks volumes about the loss of sovereignty and the political deadlock. I ask the question directly: can we call for respect for Lebanese sovereignty without calling for the dissolution of Hezbollah, under the orders of a foreign power?
Behind these geopolitical balances are our compatriots, nearly 400,000 French citizens in the region. 70% have stayed. They are not fleeing, they are holding on, organizing themselves. I want to say to them: “France is by your side.” I also want to pay tribute to Chief Warrant Officer Arnaud Frion, who died for France, and to his wounded brothers in arms.
France claims to be a power. It cannot just stand idly by.
