April 16, 2026, 4:59 p.mApril 16, 2026, 4:59 p.m
Friedrich Merz: The German Chancellor could make an offer to secure the Strait of Hormuz.Image: keystone
German Chancellor Friedrich Merz wants to make a concrete offer for German participation in discussions on a possible military mission to secure the Strait of Hormuz on Friday in Paris.
Germany’s Bundeswehr should provide minehunters, an escort ship and aerial reconnaissance for such a mission after the end of hostilities if certain conditions are met, as the German Press Agency (dpa) learned from government circles.
The Bundeswehr has eight minehunting boats
The Bundeswehr currently has eight mine-hunting boats and two mine-diving boats. How many of these could be used is still unclear. According to the information, Merz does not want to give any figures on Friday. The German military’s minehunting boats, which are more than 50 meters long, are manned by a regular crew of 42 soldiers, which can be expanded to include mine divers.
The “Bad Rappenau” is one of the Frankental-class minehunters of the German Navy.Image: bundeswehr.de
For aerial reconnaissance, the Navy has two P-8 Poseidon maritime patrol aircraft available, which are equipped with radar, acoustic systems and high-resolution optics and usually have eleven soldiers on board. As is usual in such operations, a supply ship would accompany the minesweepers.
Several conditions for use
From the government’s point of view, several conditions must first be met for such an operation.
- The most important condition is a ceasefire in the Iran war. Deployment during ongoing combat operations is out of the question for Berlin
- In addition, the operation must be protected under international law, “ideally” through a mandate from the UN Security Council, according to government circles.
- The third condition is a “robust military concept” which the conference in Paris serves to develop. From a German perspective, this also includes “significant” support for the mission from US armed forces. Macron, on the other hand, imagines an operation without the warring parties, which include the USA and Iran as well as Israel.
- What is also certain is that the Bundestag, Germany’s parliament, must approve the operation – like any armed foreign mission by the Bundeswehr. The factions of the coalition of Christian and Social Democrats have already been informed about the government’s plans today.
German frigates are tied up in the North Atlantic
The Bundeswehr frigates should not be used because the German warships are heavily tied to a NATO association in the North Atlantic. Defense Minister Boris Pistorius only decided at the end of March to send the German frigate “Sachsen” there as a lead ship and the “Brandenburg” to relieve the burden on the British armed forces. The increased presence in the North Atlantic is seen as a response to Russian military activities there.
In recent weeks, Merz has repeatedly expressed his willingness to support a Hormuz operation after a ceasefire. Now it is becoming concrete for the first time at the conference in Paris.
Macron and Starmer initiated conference
It was initiated by French President Emmanuel Macron and British Prime Minister Keir Starmer. According to information from German government circles, Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni will also be traveling alongside Merz.
This means that all four European states from the G7 group of leading democratic industrial nations are represented. In the German Chancellor’s circle, this is seen as a “political signal of European unity”. Several other states are expected to join in via video.
At the meeting, Merz wants to continue to push for an agreement to end the war. Germany is holding talks with Iran about this. The demands on the leadership in Tehran are an end to the nuclear program and the attacks on Israel and the Gulf states as well as the opening of the Strait of Hormuz without imposing tariffs on the passage of merchant ships. (sda/dpa)