Opinion: Why Macron Was Not Warned or Involved in Iran Strikes

French President Emmanuel Macron publicly stated that France was "neither forewarned nor involved" in the U.S.-Israeli strikes on Iran that began February 28, 2026. A Jerusalem Post opinion piece argues this non-participation reflects not principled neutrality but economic entanglement: just 48 hours before the strikes, Macron awarded the Legion of Honour to Rodolphe Saadé, CEO of CMA CGM — one of the world's largest shipping companies with contracts in Hezbollah-linked ports in Beirut and Latakia. The author contends that CMA CGM's 700-vessel fleet on Asia-Europe routes faces existential risk from Strait of Hormuz disruptions, effectively silencing France on the operation. The piece frames Macron's exclusion as a "voluntary abdication" of alliance solidarity driven by oligarchic shipping interests.