ERBIL, Kurdistan Region—Artillery from France is arriving at the frontlines in the war against Islamic State in Iraq and a French aircraft carrier is preparing to leave for the Middle East in advance of the operation to retake Mosul, the French Defense Minister announced on Tuesday.

“We decided to bolster our support of the Iraqi forces this autumn, with the aim of recapturing Mosul,” Jean-Yves Le Drian stated at a meeting of military officials in Paris. “At this very moment, artillery is arriving close to the frontline.”