Berlin sends ships toward Mediterranean ahead of potential Hormuz mission

Germany has pre-positioned naval assets toward the Strait of Hormuz in an effort to accelerate a potential deployment, Defense Minister Boris Pistorius said.

In an interview with Rheinische Post, Pistorius explained that Berlin had decided to move part of its forces into the Mediterranean Sea in advance to avoid delays once formal approval is granted.

“To save time, we decided to send part of the German units to the Mediterranean in advance, so that after receiving the [Bundestag] mandate, we would not lose any more time,” he said.

According to the minister, Germany has already dispatched a minesweeper and a supply vessel to the Mediterranean region as part of these preparations.

Pistorius noted that the Bundestag is capable of approving their onward deployment to the Strait of Hormuz “very quickly,” indicating that the pre-positioning is intended to enable a rapid response once parliamentary authorization is secured.

By Tamilla Hasanova