Taiwan's Ministry of National Defense announced on the afternoon of July 30, 2026, that starting from 07:24 AM, it had detected 22 sorties of PRC military aircraft operating at sea. The aircraft detected included J-11, J-16, H-6, and KJ-500 fighters and support aircraft, as well as drones. Among these, 16 sorties crossed the Taiwan Strait median line and its extension, entering airspace off northern, central, southwestern, and eastern Taiwan.
The ministry stated that the PRC aircraft operated in coordination with PRC naval vessels under the pretext of a so-called joint combat readiness patrol to conduct activities in the airspace and waters surrounding Taiwan. In response, Taiwan's armed forces monitored the situation using joint intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance assets, and deployed response aircraft, naval vessels, and land-based missile systems to handle the situation appropriately.
