Overview

• On July 2, a Chinese naval vessel directed a high-energy laser at a German Beechcraft 350 on routine patrol over the Red Sea, forcing a precautionary landing in Djibouti with no crew injuries.
• On July 8, Berlin summoned Ambassador Deng Hongbo to protest the engagement and condemned it as endangering personnel and disrupting the EU’s Aspides mission.
• Chancellor Merz raised the issue directly with China’s Foreign Minister Wang Yi in Berlin on July 9, marking an escalation to the highest political level.
• Operation Aspides resumed regular patrols after German authorities confirmed the multi-sensor platform remained operational following its safe return to Djibouti.
• The incident highlights China’s expanding use of directed-energy weapons at sea and follows similar laser illumination episodes against U.S. aircraft in Djibouti in 2018.