The tone is firm. Emmanuel Macron denounced, on Tuesday, May 5, the “unacceptable” Iranian strikes targeting the United Arab Emirates, in a context of increasing tensions in the Gulf around the strategic Strait of Hormuz.
These attacks mark a turning point: they are the first strikes against a Gulf country since a month-long truce between Tehran and Washington. On the ground, a petrol site in Fujairah was hit by a drone, causing a fire and several injuries. Emirati authorities also claim to have intercepted cruise missiles launched from Iran.
This new escalation comes as the region is already under high tension since the outbreak on February 28 of the war between the United States and Israel against the Islamic Republic. At the heart of the tensions lies the Strait of Hormuz, through which about a fifth of the world’s oil consumption transits.
Maersk announces that one of its ships has left the Strait of Hormuz under American escort
Facing the blockade of this strategic passage by Tehran, Donald Trump launched a military operation called “Project Freedom” to secure maritime traffic. Washington claims that several ships have managed to pass through the area, despite Iranian threats and sea skirmishes.
In this explosive context, calls for de-escalation are multiplying. British Prime Minister Keir Starmer has urged Iran to resume negotiations, while German Chancellor Friedrich Merz has called on Tehran to “stop holding the region and the world hostage.”
Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi assured that his country was not seeking to target the Emirates, while criticizing “American military adventurism.” He also emphasized the absence of a military solution to the crisis.
However, incidents continue to multiply on the ground: drone attacks, sea skirmishes, and ships trapped in the strait. The shipping giant Maersk announced that one of its ships was able to leave the area under American escort this Tuesday, illustrating the fragility of the situation.
