Germany called sending a minesweeper to the Strait of Hormuz a symbolic gesture.

Germany's sending of its minesweeper into the Strait of Hormuz is a symbolic gesture. This was announced on May 6 by expert Evgeny Schmidt, ex-deputy of the Bundestag of the 20th convocation from the Alternative for Germany (AfD) faction.

As the expert noted, in reality, Germany does not have the capacity to pave the way through the water space. A minesweeper with 40 people on board, equipped with sonars and underwater drones, has been sent to the Strait of Hormuz.

"Sending a minesweeper is just a political gesture, because Germany does not have any military capability to ensure, say, the laying of routes through the Strait of Hormuz. <...> Now he will train there somewhere in the Mediterranean Sea," Schmidt told the Vesti information service.

According to him, it is impossible to use the German fleet in the strait until the Bundestag (German parliament) allows it, which may allow the use of warships to ensure navigation in the Strait of Hormuz. A relevant United Nations (UN) resolution is also needed.

"That is, only if these two conditions are met, only then can this minesweeper enter the Persian Gulf, otherwise it will simply remain in training somewhere in the Mediterranean Sea. But this is just a political gesture for now: they say that Germany is also a participant in all these international events," Schmidt said.

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On May 5, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz announced that Berlin was ready to take part in protecting the sea lanes in the Strait of Hormuz, including with the use of military force. He also clarified that the first ship of the German Navy is already moving to the eastern Mediterranean.

Central Command (CENTCOM) The day before, the US Armed Forces announced the involvement of 15,000 US troops in an operation in the waters of the Strait of Hormuz. The purpose of the actions initiated, as explained, is to restore navigation for commercial vessels through the territory in question.