France plans to deploy troops and military equipment to Saudi Arabia to protect a refinery and the East-West oil pipeline at the Red Sea port of Yanbu, President Emmanuel Macron said. The deployment would include soldiers, radar systems and defense equipment, and Macron said it was finalized with Saudi authorities while stressing that France would not enter the conflict. Yanbu is a strategic hub for Saudi crude exports and provides an alternative route to the Strait of Hormuz. The announcement has coincided with a sharp repricing in prediction markets: the probability of the East-West pipeline restarting by September 30 fell to 35%, from 50% a day earlier and 66% a week earlier. The odds of a restart by October 16 rose to 69.5%. The market shift reflects expectations that heightened military tensions, reported attacks and missile interceptions could delay the pipeline's return to operation. Investors are watching Saudi announcements, security developments, military activity and diplomatic efforts for signals on the timeline.