Germany: no plans to send extra forces to Middle East

Germany said on Thursday it had no plans to send additional military support to the Middle East after European allies announced plans to move forces to the eastern Mediterranean following a drone strike at a British air base in Cyprus.

Italian Defence Minister Guido Crosetto told parliament on Thursday that Italy, Spain, France and the Netherlands would send naval assets to protect Cyprus in the coming days.

Britain is also deploying a destroyer and additional helicopters with anti-drone capabilities to the region and is joining France and Greece in boosting air defences in Cyprus.

Germany's navy participates in the long-running United Nations UNIFIL monitoring mission in Lebanon, but the defence ministry said the military's focus remained on NATO defence operations in eastern Europe.