Germany summoned China’s ambassador on Tuesday after a Chinese warship allegedly directed a laser at a German reconnaissance aircraft during an EU mission over the Red Sea, the German defense ministry said.
The Chinese military employed a laser targeting a German aircraft in the EU operation #ASPIDES. Endangering German personnel & disrupting the operation is entirely unacceptable. The Chinese ambassador was summoned to the Federal Foreign Office today.
— GermanForeignOffice (@GermanyDiplo) July 8, 2025
According to the ministry, the aircraft, a civilian-piloted multi-sensor surveillance platform with military personnel onboard, was on a routine flight on July 2 when it was targeted by a Chinese vessel near the Yemeni coast “without reason or prior contact.”
It returned to base in Djibouti as a precaution. No injuries were reported, and the aircraft is under inspection.
Germany contributes up to 700 personnel to the EU’s Aspides mission, launched in February 2024 to protect shipping lanes from attacks by Yemen’s Houthi rebels. The German Foreign Ministry condemned the incident as “entirely unacceptable,” saying it endangered personnel and disrupted an EU operation.
The incident comes amid renewed Houthi attacks on commercial vessels in the Red Sea.
The Chinese embassy has not responded to Germany’s claims.
Beijing maintains a naval base in Djibouti near U.S. and EU facilities. In 2018, the U.S. accused Chinese forces there of using lasers against American pilots, resulting in minor injuries.
