German naval frigate departs for UN mission off Lebanese coast

The German Navy's frigate Brandenburg has set off from the North Sea coast to join a United Nations mission in the eastern Mediterranean, reported dpa.

The warship departed from the Wilhelmshaven naval base as planned on Thursday morning with a crew of about 200 on board, a navy spokesman told dpa.

The 139-metre frigate will join the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) until July, patrolling the Lebanese coast to stop weapons smuggling and secure the maritime borders.

The Brandenburg will replace another German naval frigate, the Baden-Württemberg, which was previously involved in the mission.

As part of the UN mission, the border region between Israel and Lebanon is also being monitored. There have been repeated violent clashes there between Israeli forces and militants from Lebanon's Iran-backed Hezbollah movement.

Andreas Scheiba, the Brandenburg's 45-year-old captain, said the troops had been preparing for the mission for months.

"As the area in which we are operating is currently somewhat volatile - we have a variety of actors, be it Hezbollah, the Lebanese government, the Israeli troops in the area - there are also a variety of scenarios that we have to prepare for," Scheiba said.

The ship is also prepared to help evacuate German citizens from the region, he said. There have been fears in recent months that Israel's ongoing military offensive in the Gaza Strip could escalate into a broader regional conflict.