French president visits Charles de Gaulle aircraft carrier off of Syrian coast

The Socialist president has seen a surge in his popularity ratings since he declared “war” on IS after gunmen and suicide bombers attacked the French capital on November 13.

“We are engaged in fighting IS and it’s normal the President meets his troops taking part in operations”, the Elysée said, stressing that Hollande has also visited French troops in Mali and in Central African Republic.

French President Francois Hollande will visit on Friday military personnel on the Charles de Gaulle aircraft carrier off the Syrian coast, his office said in a statement.

The ship is at the center of France’s air campaign against ISIS.

British Tornado jets took off from the Royal Air Force base at Akrotiri in Cyprus before dawn, hours after parliament in London voted 397-223 to support Prime Minister David Cameron’s plan to extend air strikes from Iraq to Syria. Even in Germany, where there has traditionally been reluctance to engage in military missions overseas, the government’s decision to take direct action in Syria has broad support. “That will not be achieved with military action alone, but neither would it be achieved without”, he told the Tagesspiegel newspaper.

A German frigate will be deployed to protect the Charles de Gaulle and tanker aircraft could refuel the planes mid-air to extend their range.

According to a statement by the White House, Obama also briefed Hollande over the phone about the San Bernardino shootings and on the behalf of the American people, accepted his condolences for the loss of life in the attack.