Macron said the deployment was aimed at protecting the strategic site and would not involve France directly in the wider conflict in the region.
“We are going to send military resources, that is to say, soldiers, radar systems and defence systems, to protect this site,” Macron said in a television interview with TF1 and France 2.
Yanbu is a key hub for Saudi oil exports and provides an alternative route to shipping crude through the Strait of Hormuz. The port and the East-West pipeline have come under attack amid the wider regional conflict.
Reuters reported that Saudi Arabia shut the East-West pipeline earlier this month after a drone attack, disrupting crude loadings at Yanbu. The pipeline can transport around four million barrels of oil per day to the Red Sea, allowing Saudi Arabia to bypass the Strait of Hormuz. Operations have since resumed, although at reduced capacity.
The Houthis have also claimed attacks on Saudi targets, including an Aramco facility in Yanbu. Saudi authorities have reported intercepting missiles launched towards the kingdom.
Macron's announcement comes as Saudi Arabia seeks additional protection for its energy infrastructure. Saudi Arabia, Türkiye and Pakistan have also agreed to hold an urgent meeting of their military chiefs to discuss support for Riyadh under the Makkah Joint Defence Agreement.
Russian threat
In the same television interview, Macron warned that Russia was carrying out increasingly hostile activities against European countries and said France needed to prepare for possible attacks on critical infrastructure.
He rejected a report in Spanish newspaper El Mundo that the US Central Intelligence Agency had warned European governments about possible Russian drone attacks from the Mediterranean.
“I can deny it. The CIA did not inform French services,” Macron said.
Macron said Russia was seeking to intimidate European countries and weaken their support for Ukraine. Moscow has rejected Western allegations that it is behind hybrid attacks in Europe.
The French president also said he had ordered his government to prepare measures to protect critical infrastructure from possible drone and cyber attacks.
US diesel exports
Macron also warned that a possible US ban on diesel exports would have serious consequences for global markets and the US economy.
The White House has denied that such a ban is under consideration.
Macron's comments came as energy prices remain under pressure amid disruptions to oil flows and heightened tensions across the Middle East. Saudi Arabia has been increasing shipments from its eastern Gulf terminals while seeking to restore flows through Yanbu.
