After , it launched counterattacks that mainly targeted American military bases. However, the German military, the Bundeswehr, is also stationed at some of the bases that were hit, .
One attack targeted a military base near Erbil in northern Iraq, while another hit a Bundeswehr base in Jordan, a spokesman for the Bundeswehr’s Operations Command confirmed. No one was injured, as the soldiers were in sheltered positions or shelters, and air defense systems intercepted the missiles and drones.
“German soldiers and troops were not the immediate target,” the German Defense Ministry later said. And the bases themselves are not operated by the German Bundeswehr, which is only a “guest” there — along with troops from other countries, including .
The Ministry of Defense stressed that precautions had been taken in time to protect German soldiers in the Middle East. “Germany is not involved in war and the German military will not be involved in this war,” Defense Minister Boris Pistorius told the Bundestag, the lower house of parliament, on Wednesday.
The Bundeswehr is participating in two missions in the Middle East
However, which do not appear to be backing down, the question now arises: Should the approximately 500 German soldiers be withdrawn?
The Bundeswehr is currently involved in two military missions in the Middle East: Over 200 German soldiers and a German navy frigate are contributing to the security of Lebanon’s maritime borders as part of the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL).
This mission aims to prevent arms trafficking to Lebanon by sea. The Federal Defense also trains Lebanese Navy soldiers. The mandate, which has been repeatedly extended by the Federal Parliament for nearly 20 years, expires on June 30. Many now doubt the viability of continuing the mission beyond that date.
In Iraq and Jordan, meanwhile, the Federal Defense Force is participating in an international mission against the terrorist militia “Islamic State.” The rather convoluted official name of this mission reflects how it has been expanded several times since its inception in 2015: It is now called “Counter Daesh/Capacity Building Iraq/NATOMission Iraq”.
The official goal of this operation is to stabilize Iraq and prevent the resurgence of IS, which remains active in the region. This is partly achieved by training the local armed forces, in which the German army also participates.
The Bundeswehr mission is centered in the Kurdish metropolis of Erbil in northern Iraq, while some advisers also work in the capital, Baghdad. Germany had already withdrawn some of its personnel from Erbil in mid-February when tensions between the US and Iran escalated.
Most of the German personnel participating in this mission are stationed at Al-Asraq Air Base in Jordan. The German military also supports the international mission with resupply and airlift aircraft, which could prove useful in the event that the German military needs to quickly withdraw its forces in Germany.
The upper limit for German troops in Jordan and Iraq is 500 soldiers. Currently, there are “more than 200,” according to the Ministry of Defense, which declined to provide more specific information. In January, the Bundestag extended the mandate for another year, until January 31, 2027, and a representative of the Bundeswehr’s Operational Command told DW that no adjustments are currently planned.
Excessive fragmentation of military forces?
The German government has so far left open the question of continuing missions in the Middle East. These are not the only international missions: according to the Ministry of Defence, around 2,000 German soldiers are currently involved “in 17 operations and recognized missions” on three continents.
The Bundeswehr’s many tasks have put it under considerable pressure, exacerbated by the threat facing German troops in the Middle East, whose security is assessed hourly by the Bundeswehr’s Operational Command.
For now, the most pressing question seems to be: What will happen to the UNIFIL mission off the coast of Lebanon, whose mandate expires at the end of June?
