France is to send in an “unprecedented” naval force to help escort ships through the Strait of Hormuz amid increasing fears over oil prices after they surged to more than $100 per barrel for the first time in four years. The Mail has more.

President Emmanuel Macron said the “purely defensive” mission by France and its allies would protect the shipping of oil and gas through the passage which usually transports around a fifth of the world’s oil supply before it was closed following the US-Israel war with Iran.

After meeting the presidents of Greece and Cyprus today, Macron said he planned to unleash an “unprecedented” naval force in the Mediterranean, the Sea and off the Strait of Hormuz, which consists of eight frigates, two helicopter carriers and the Charles de Gaulle aircraft carrier.

Oil prices have surged to more than $100 per barrel amid increasing fears over supplies from the Middle East as global markets including the FTSE 100 showed signs of panic when trading opened.

An emergency meeting of the G7 has been called for today, where crisis options including the release of oil reserves will be discussed.

Elsewhere the US Navy has reportedly attacked three Iranian ships in the Persian Gulf. Sources say the merchant vessels were struck during strikes on the Iranian port city of Bandar Abbas. Video and pictures circulating on social media show flames and huge plumes of smoke blowing from the ships.

And Donald Trump has said he and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu will make a “mutual” decision on when to end the war with Iran as Pete Hegseth guaranteed Tehran “will surrender”.

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Macron’s France showing up Starmer’s Britain. The humiliation continues.