The country will send a hospital ship to the Middle East to treat injured Lebanese, while waiting for legal approval from the United Nations to dispatch ships to patrol sea-lanes for arms smuggling, he told reporters.

"We foresee above all a contribution with a strong maritime component" to fulfill Germany's plan to provide immediate humanitarian aid and military support when approved by the UN, the minister said after briefing lawmakers.

Chancellor Angela Merkel has rejected sending combat ground troops, insisting that soldiers and police serve only in advisory or logistic roles.

Germany has dropped earlier proposals to send federal police to help guard Lebanon's border with Syria as police federation groups said their officers had neither the training nor the equipment for a military role.

A poll published Friday by ZDF Television indicated that 58 percent of Germans oppose sending troops to Lebanon.