Leaving the United States on 19 December, "Le Malin" joined "Le Fantasque" in the Azores on 31 December and they patrolled in search of blockade runners for several weeks. "Le Malin" supported the Allied landings at Anzio, Italy, on 22 January before the 10th LCD was tasked to conduct deep raids in the Adriatic in search of German shipping in late February. The first raid on 28–29 February were unsuccessful, but on the night of 29 February/1 March they encountered a heavily escorted cargo ship. "Le Malin" and "Le Fantasque" sank the freighter and heavily damaged the torpedo boat and a corvette in the Battle of Ist. "Le Malin" did not participate in any of the raids in March. The ships were refitted and then transferred to Alexandria, Egypt, to conduct patrols south of Crete and in the Aegean in April where they had no engagements other than a bombardment of Kos. In June, the ship's port propeller shaft had to be removed; adapting the supporting strut from "L'Audacieux" proved to be a prolonged procedure as they were not identical. On 15 August, the 10th LCD provided naval gunfire support during Operation Dragoon, the Allied landing in Provence, during which "Le Malin" fired 80 shells from her main guns. The ship continued to provide fire support as Allied troops advanced on Toulon. On 5 September, she and the destroyer were unsuccessfully attacked by German Marder mini-submarines; the ships sank three and captured one. "Le Malin" was among the French ships that entered Toulon on 13 September. During night exercises in December, "Le Terrible" collided with "Le Malin", severing the latter's bow and killed a total of 70 men between the pair. The latter was under repair until 5 November 1945, receiving the bow from her scuttled sister "L'Indomptable".