French army chief says Paris and Riyadh are studying military options to protect Yanbu oil terminal

France and Saudi Arabia are examining options for French military participation to protect the Yanbu oil terminal on the Red Sea coast, General Fabien Mandouant, chief of the French Army Staff, said. Mandouant told a parliamentary hearing on Thursday, October 8 that the plan is currently at the study stage with Saudi Arabia and that various options are being reviewed to protect the Yanbu terminal, which has been targeted by attacks and is vital for oil shipments. He also noted that France has already deployed 2,000 troops to help protect its Gulf allies, including Qatar and Kuwait. (Source: Independent Farsi)