CIA did not warn France about possible Russian drone attacks, Macron says - Reuters

French President Emmanuel Macron on Thursday rejected a claim that the United States Central Intelligence Agency had alerted European governments to a potential Russian drone operation originating from the Mediterranean Sea. The assertion, which had appeared in a Spanish newspaper, suggested that the CIA had warned of an imminent attack.

Macron stated unequivocally that the CIA had not provided any such warning to French authorities. In a primetime television interview, he emphasized that French intelligence services had received no prior notice of a planned Russian drone strike and that no specific threat had been communicated by U.S. agencies.

The president also used the interview to announce a new military commitment to Saudi Arabia. France will deploy troops and air‑defence systems to the Red Sea port city of Yanbu, with the aim of bolstering the city’s protection against possible attacks.

The decision to send forces to Yanbu follows heightened tensions in the region and reflects France’s intent to support Saudi security efforts. No details were provided regarding the size of the deployment or the specific types of defence equipment to be sent.

Macron’s remarks come amid broader concerns about Russian activity in the Mediterranean and the security of maritime routes in the Red Sea, underscoring the French government’s focus on both intelligence coordination and regional defence partnerships.