France to send military to protect Saudi Arabia, Macron says

France will send troops and defence systems to Saudi Arabia to help protect the Red Sea port city of Yanbu, which is key for energy transport, French President Emmanuel Macron said on Thursday.

Crude oil prices have surged recently as the main alternative route for Saudi oil exports through Yanbu has come under missile attacks from Houthis.

"We are going to send military resources, that is to say, soldiers, radar systems and defence systems, to protect this site - not to get us involved in any conflicts, but to protect this site," Macron told TF1 and France 2 TV.

Meanwhile, the Saudi foreign ministry announced on Friday that Saudi Arabia, Turkey and Pakistan will hold an urgent meeting of their chiefs of staff to discuss ways to support Riyadh under a joint defence agreement following attacks by Houthis on the kingdom.