Germany summons Chinese envoy after warship lasered military aircraft in Red Sea

Germany has summoned China’s ambassador to protest after a Chinese warship used a laser against a German surveillance aircraft operating in the Red Sea, Berlin said on Tuesday.

The incident occurred earlier this month during an EU maritime security mission known as Aspides, which is aimed at protecting civilian shipping from attacks by Yemen’s Houthi rebels. Germany’s Defence Ministry said the aircraft was targeted “without any reason or prior contact” while on patrol.

A spokesperson for the ministry said the laser posed a risk to personnel and equipment, prompting the mission to be aborted as a precaution. The aircraft landed safely at a base in Djibouti and has since resumed operations.

The German Foreign Office described the incident as “entirely unacceptable”, adding in a post on X that it endangered German personnel and disrupted a lawful international mission.

The Chinese government has not publicly commented on the incident.

The EU’s Aspides mission is focused solely on the defence of civilian vessels and does not engage in offensive military operations. The Red Sea has become a flashpoint due to repeated attacks by Houthi rebels, who continue to target shipping lanes in the region.

On Tuesday, Yemeni Houthi forces targeted a Liberian-flagged cargo vessel, days after claiming to have sunk another commercial ship, raising fears of further escalation in one of the world’s most critical maritime routes.

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