French President, Emmanuel Macron has arrived in Doha for a state visit to Qatar, according to the state-run Qatar News Agency.

He is due to meet the country’s Emir, Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, today.

This is as Britain has sent jets to defend assets in the Gulf region.

Qatar is the final stop on a Gulf tour that began on Monday in Kuwait and also took Macron to the United Arab Emirates and Bahrain.

The three-day trip, which runs through Wednesday, is meant to strengthen French economic and defence partnerships in the region. It comes as the war between the United States, Israel and Iran continues to disrupt the Gulf and the Strait of Hormuz.

Energy is at the top of the agenda. The French presidency has said Macron wants extra commitments for diesel and petrol deliveries, and he is also discussing ways to secure maritime shipments and find alternative or bypass routes for energy exports. The trip follows a weekend of violent protests in France over rising living costs. Macron said he had considered cancelling the tour before deciding on Sunday to go ahead.

In Kuwait, talks covered the delivery of pre-positioned kerosene and diesel stocks from Oman to the French overseas territories of Reunion and Mayotte. Airbus also signed a letter of intent to support the renewal of the Kuwait Airways fleet.

In Qatar, both sides are expected to deepen their strategic partnership, expand economic and defence cooperation, and consult on regional and international issues. Macron is also due to take part in a session of the Sovereign Wealth Funds Network for One Planet during the visit.

Britain is stepping up its military presence in the Gulf, announcing that Royal Air Force Typhoon fighter jets will fly defensive missions to protect Saudi Arabia from Houthi air attacks.

The UK Ministry of Defence said the jets will carry out defensive counter-air missions to protect Saudi cities and critical infrastructure. Britain will also provide an Atlas A400M heavy-lift transport aircraft to move equipment around the kingdom, while British military advisers will work with Saudi staff officers on the ground. Defence Secretary Wes Streeting said in a written statement to Parliament that the aircraft will operate in a purely defensive role and will not carry out offensive strikes against the Houthis. He added that Britain cannot allow international shipping to be threatened or held to ransom.

The decision follows a sharp rise in Houthi attacks on Saudi targets in recent weeks, including strikes on Riyadh’s King Khalid International Airport. Reports also point to attacks on Saudi Aramco’s headquarters in Dhahran and a major pipeline. London condemned the attacks on civilian targets and said Saudi Arabia and Yemen have the right to defend themselves.

The move builds on earlier support. In September, the UK announced an RAF Voyager air-to-air refuelling aircraft for Saudi Arabia, a package that did not include fighter jets. Britain also already has four Typhoons based in Qatar to help defend regional allies under attack from Iran. British jets have been operating over allied airspace in the Middle East since March, and the new deployment opens a separate front as London raises the alarm over the Houthi threat.