German frigate returns home after four-month UN mission off Lebanon

A German Navy frigate has returned home after completing a four-month United Nations mission in the eastern Mediterranean.

The Brandenburg docked in the northern German port of Wilhelmshaven early on Saturday, a spokesman confirmed, with relatives and friends of the 185 servicemen and women on board gathering to welcome them home.

The frigate departed Germany in mid-March to serve as part of the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL). Its mission was to combat smuggling, secure borders and support the training of the Lebanese Navy.

The UN mission also monitors the border area between Israel and Lebanon, where there have been repeated violent incidents with fatalities on both sides following the October 7 attacks by the Palestinian militant group Hamas.

UNIFIL plays a vital role amidst enormous tensions in the Middle East, said Andreas Scheiba, the commander of the Brandenburg, in a statement.

"Not only did exercises take place here with the Lebanese navy, but also with the Lebanese air force as part of flight operations training," he added.

According to navy data, the frigate covered a total of around 30,000 kilometres during its deployment. The experience was valuable for many of the crew members serving on their first deployment after months of training.

The Brandenburg has now been replaced by the Ludwigshafen am Rhein corvette.