As in 2022 when Russia invaded Ukraine, the new war in the Middle East is exposing once again how far Europe and others lag in replacing imported fossil fuels with domestic solar and wind power, specialists say.

The Russian invasion in 2022 triggered a massive energy crisis, particularly in Europe, where gas prices -- then largely dependent on imports from Russia -- soared.

Four years later, the continent is instead importing liquid natural gas (LNG) in large volumes, notably from Qatar -- one of the countries caught up in Iran's retaliation against US and Israeli attacks.

France has deployed Rafale fighter jets over the United Arab Emirates to protect its naval and air bases against Iranian attacks, Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot said Tuesday.

France has hundreds of navy, air force and army personnel based in the United Arab Emirates. Its Rafale aircraft are stationed at the Dhafra base near Abu Dhabi.

"These Rafales and their pilots are mobilised to ensure the security of our facilities," Barrot told the BFMTV broadcaster in response to a question on French action in the United Arab Emirates over the weekend to neutralise Iranian drones.

PARIS, March 3 (Reuters) - France is ready to defend its partners if they request help after Iranian retaliatory strikes and ireserves its right to intervene, Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot said on Tuesday.

"This war... is dragging a number of countries in the region into the conflict with which we have relations, defence agreements, and interests, including military bases," Barrot told French broadcaster BFM TV.

By Olivia Le Poidevin

GENEVA, March 3 (Reuters) - Progress on a potential international framework to prohibit and restrict Lethal Autonomous Weapons Systems (LAWS) is urgently needed, as talks on the matter in Geneva enter a crucial phase, their chair said.

From this week tothe mandate's end in September, 128 states will discuss whether to agree by consensus a non-binding text that could pave the way for future negotiations on prohibitions and regulations on LAWS.

NICOSIA, March 3 (Reuters) - France plans to send anti-missile and anti-drone systems to Cyprus after a British air base on the island was attacked by drones, the semi-official Cyprus News Agency (CNA) said on Tuesday.

The reported French aid to the island follows Greece's offer of assistance hours after RAF Akrotiri, a British sovereign base, was targeted in two separate drone incidents on Monday.

In the first instance an Iranian-made Shahed drone crashed into the runway of the base, causing limited damage. Hours later two other drones were intercepted.

Tel Aviv, March 3 (Reuters) - The Israeli military has prepared for a campaign against Iran that could last several weeks but is unlikely to see the deployment of ground forces, a military spokesperson told reporters on Tuesday.

"We have prepared a general scope of weeks," Lieutenant Colonel Nadav Shoshani said in an online briefing, adding that the duration of the military campaign could change, depending on developments. He described progress so far as positive.

When asked if Israel could deploy ground forces to Iran, Shoshani said that was unlikely.

LONDON, March 3 (Reuters) - U.S. President Donald Trump said it was "sad to see" the relationship with Britain was "not what it was" after Prime Minister Keir Starmer initially held off giving military support to the strikes against Iran.

Trump said the likes of France had been more supportive and said he had never expected to see the once "most solid of all" relationships change in this way.

TEL AVIV, March 3 (Reuters) - The Israeli military deployed additional forces to southern Lebanon overnight, to take up what a military spokesperson on Tuesday described as defensive positions to protect Israeli civilians and strategic sites from any potential Hezbollah attack.

"We're only at the borderline area in a defensive manner to prevent attacks against civilians and very strategic important points," Lieutenant Colonel Nadav Shoshani said in an online briefing with reporters.

Israel on Tuesday said it was establishing a buffer zone inside Lebanon and had ordered its troops to seize additional positions across the border, as several projectiles were fired from Lebanese territory into Israel.

"Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and I have authorised the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) to advance and take control of additional strategic positions in Lebanon in order to prevent attacks on Israeli border communities," Defence Minister Israel Katz said in a statement.

It has been nearly 50 years since the Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini recorded speeches calling for an Islamic revolution from a country home in an affluent village west of Paris.

But the inhabitants of Neauphle-le-Chateau have still not got over their famous guest, as the US-Israeli war against Iran puts the spotlight back on the ayatollah's legacy.