A German peacekeeping mission to Lebanon, mainly comprising naval units patrolling offshore, received renewed authorization Wednesday till December 15, 2009.

The German parliament voted in favour of the request from Chancellor Angela Merkel's government by a margin of 451 in favour to 107 against.

The maximum authorization for the contingent, which is controlled by the UN mission UNIFIL, was reduced from 1,400 to 1,200 personnel. Military officials had said previously they did not need the larger number.

The German warships were tasked in 2006 with halting speedboats moving weapons and fighters along the coast. The radical Shiite group Hezbollah had previously used Mediterranean waters in its attacks on Israel.