NYN | News
The German government on Tuesday accused the Chinese military of using laser beams to target a German reconnaissance aircraft participating in a European military mission in the southern Red Sea — an incident that has heightened diplomatic tensions between Berlin and Beijing.
In an official statement, the German Foreign Ministry described the incident as an unacceptable threat to the aircraft’s crew and a direct obstruction of its mission, noting that it had summoned the Chinese ambassador in Berlin to deliver a formal diplomatic protest.
According to the German newspaper Der Spiegel, the aircraft was taking part in the European “Aspides” operation, tasked with securing navigation in the southern Red Sea, when it was targeted by laser beams emitted from a Chinese military ship near the Yemeni coast.
The accusation comes at a sensitive time in the region, as Israeli vessels have faced repeated attacks by Sana’a-based forces, which months ago declared a total naval blockade on Israeli ships in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden in response to the Israeli aggression on Gaza.
Despite the formation of Western military alliances — most notably the EU-led Operation Aspides and a parallel U.S.-led coalition — attacks on vessels linked to Israel have continued at an increased pace, placing these alliances in a difficult position due to their inability to guarantee full maritime security.
In this context, observers believe the German accusation against China stems from the failure of both the Aspides and U.S. coalitions to protect Israeli ships from strikes by the forces in Sana’a.
