In a serious international incident, Germany has accused the Chinese military of targeting one of its surveillance aircraft with a laser during a European Union (EU) operation over the Red Sea.
The incident happened during the EU’s ASPIDES mission, a military operation aimed at protecting commercial ships from attacks by Houthi rebels in Yemen. Germany’s aircraft was on a routine flight when it was allegedly targeted by a Chinese warship using a laser device. The sudden targeting forced the plane to abandon its mission and return to Djibouti for safety.
The aircraft was not a traditional military jet but a multi-sensor surveillance plane, operated by a civilian contractor with German military personnel on board. Though no one was physically harmed, Germany says the laser could have endangered the crew and caused serious damage.
Germany’s Foreign Ministry called the act “completely unacceptable” and has summoned the Chinese ambassador in Berlin to express strong protest. This move signals that Germany is taking the matter seriously and expects an explanation from Beijing.
As of now, China has not responded publicly to the accusation.
This is one of the first times a NATO country has directly accused China of such hostile action, especially in an EU-led military mission. Experts say this could increase tensions between China and Europe, especially with Germany playing a key role in EU security operations.
With such incidents on the rise in sensitive regions like the Red Sea, global attention is now on how China and the EU will respond diplomatically.
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