French Aircraft Carrier Sails for Syria, To Triple France's Capacity To Attack ISIS

France has deployed the Charles de Gaulle aircraft carrier to the eastern Mediterranean to boost operations in Syria against IS militants.

The 38,000t, nuclear-powered aircraft carrier Charles De Gaulle will set off on Thursday for the eastern Mediterranean. “The move will triple our capacity to take action” French prime minister Francois Hollande told lawmakers in Versailles, outside Paris.

The vessel, which is the flagship of the French navy, will take a few days to reach Syria or Lebanon. However, it was not due to reach the Gulf, its original destination, until next month, various media reported today.

With 26 fighter jets on board, the aircraft carrier will drastically strengthens France's capacity to carry out air strikes and add to the 12 French planes currently stationed in the United Arab Emirates and Jordan overall.

"France, with a total of 38 fighters, will be able to "intensify its operations in Syria," Hollande said following Friday's deadly attacks in Paris.

French warplanes on Sunday conducted strikes against the jihadists' de facto capital in northern Syria.10 warplane bombers dropped 20 bombs on an IS command post and training centre. It is the biggest raid since the first French strikes in Syria in late September. 

"We will continue the strikes in the weeks to come ... There will be no respite and no truce," Hollande added. "France is at war ... We are in a war against jihadist terrorism that threatens the entire world," he said.

The Charles de Gaulle did a two-month stint in the Gulf from February, where strikes against IS in Iraq were carried out, before returning to its base in the French port of Toulon.