A photo circulating on social media shows Chinese J-10 fighter jets flying over King Fahd Port in Yanbu, Saudi Arabia.
The port is a major logistics hub for the U.S. Navy, where ships dock to resupply the aircraft carrier USS Harry S. Truman.
📍 Chinese PLA AF 🇨🇳 Photo of J-10 fighters flying over Yanbu’s King Fahd Port 🇸🇦 a few days ago, port where US Navy ships dock to take supplies for the aircraft carrier USS Truman https://t.co/NGMevvK7q3 pic.twitter.com/m17gGO30d7
— MenchOsint (@MenchOsint) April 20, 2025
Reports and open-source flight data claimed that between five and six Y-20 transport aircraft arrived in Egypt on April 15, carrying Chinese personnel and J-10 jets.
China-Egypt joint air exercise “Eagles of Civilization-2025” shows PLAAF J-10C/S fighters, KJ-500 AEW&C, YY-20A tanker, and Egyptian Mig-29s.
Chinese assets reportedly traveled 6,000 km, transiting multiple countries to reach Egypt. pic.twitter.com/eBxNfSy3RD
— International Defence Analysis (@Defence_IDA) April 20, 2025
The J-10 fighter jet is a modern Chinese-built multirole aircraft equipped with AESA (Active Electronically Scanned Array) radar, long-range missiles, and electronic sensors. It is designed for both air combat and ground attacks.
The appearance of the Chinese jets near U.S. naval assets comes just days after the Chinese military began joint air force drills with Egypt. The training marks the first major bilateral air force exercise between China and Egypt.
According to China’s Ministry of National Defense, the exercise, called “Eagles of Civilization 2025,” started in mid-April and runs through early May. It includes J-10 fighter jets, radar aircraft, and aerial refueling planes.
Bulgarian MIlitary noted that the flyover was likely a deliberate move to observe U.S. naval operations. The J-10 is capable of collecting electromagnetic signals, which could be useful for monitoring ship activity, radar emissions, and communications at a port like King Fahd.
These types of flyovers are not new as similar incidents have occurred with Russian and Chinese aircraft near U.S. assets in Europe and Asia.
No U.S. officials have commented on the recent incident. The joint exercise with Egypt comes as the United States expands its military presence in the Middle East amid escalating tensions with Iran and the Houthis.
