The German military, or Bundeswehr, is preparing for a possible mine-clearing mission in the Strait of Hormuz. The German Defense Ministry announced on Thursday that the minesweeper Fulda and the tender ship Mosel, previously deployed in the eastern Mediterranean, had already passed through the Suez Canal early that morning. The ships are now expected to traverse the Red Sea in five to seven days and then call at the port of Djibouti. Further preparations for the mission will take place there. A total of about 140 soldiers are on board.
The German units are being "pre-positioned for a possible mission in the Strait of Hormuz," Defense Minister Boris Pistorius said on Thursday in Brussels. But the emphasis is on "possible," as many questions remain, despite the agreement now signed between the US and Iran. The Defense Ministry said that essential conditions include "a lasting end to hostilities, a basis in international law, and a mandate from the Bundestag." The German parliament, the Bundestag, must approve any armed overseas deployment.Iran-US peace deal leaves many major issues unresolvedTo view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video
