India, April 26 -- The German Navy plans to deploy a minehunting vessel to the Mediterranean in the coming days for a possible deployment in the Strait of Hormuz, a Defence Ministry spokeswoman said on Saturday.

The step will save time, enabling the minehunter Fulda's capabilities to be deployed quickly once the conditions set out by the government are met, she said.

Her comments came after Defence Minister Boris Pistorius said German naval units would be deployed to the Mediterranean in preparation for a possible deployment in the Hormuz Strait, which is effectively blocked amid the conflict.

After the US and Israel began attacks on Iran on February 28, Iran responded by effectively blocking the Strait of Hormuz.

The blockade has cau...