France's Defense Minister Catherine Vautrin leaves after the weekly cabinet meeting at the Elysée Presidential Palace in Paris on March 4, 2026. THOMAS SAMSON / AFP
US military support jets have been allowed to use a French air base, the French general staff said Thursday, March 5, adding it had "full guarantees" they were not involved in Iran strikes. The announcement came after French President Emmanuel Macron on Tuesday said US-Israel military operations in Iran were conducted "outside international law."
"US aircraft providing operational support (not combat aircraft) have been accepted at the Istres air base in France," the general staff statement said. "France has required that the assets involved in no way take part in the operations conducted by the United States in Iran, but strictly in support of the defense of our partners in the region. It has obtained full guarantees to that effect," it said. "This is a routine procedure within the framework of NATO."
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