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SecurityQuiet 3d · day 3

China expands Red Sea spy hub near US base in Djibouti, ex-Pentagon official warns

Satellite images show new surveillance equipment 6 miles from Camp Lemonnier ahead of Xi's White House visit.

newest coverage 2d agosummary written 1d ago2 pieces Newswires

What to know

  • China upgraded its Djibouti military base with new antennas, satellite dishes, and signals intelligence equipment positioned just six miles from the U.S. base Camp Lemonnier.
  • The facilities include a 30-meter satellite dish with a protective dome and communications infrastructure that CSIS says emerged or expanded since 2024, designed to monitor regional military movements.
  • Former Pentagon official Morgan Murphy characterized the base as giving China eavesdropping capabilities over the Red Sea, though CSIS could not confirm active interception of communications.
  • The timing coincides with Chinese President Xi Jinping's scheduled visit to the White House on September 24, 2026.

“The facilities would provide China with 'a much more robust picture of the operating environment in the region.'”

Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS), Think tank analysts · Fox News ↗

Morgan Murphy Former Trump White House official and defense press aideCenter for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) Washington-based think tankChina Operator of Djibouti military base

China expands Red Sea spy hub near US base in Djibouti, ex-Pentagon official warns
foxnews.com

How it unfolded 2 developments, newest first · click a bar or a number to jump articles

Peak 1 piece in one hour at Sep 21, 5 AM; 2 pieces over 3 days (2 articles) Sep 21, 5 AM — 1 piece · 1 article — Newswires 1Sep 21, 6 AM — quietSep 21, 7 AM — quietSep 21, 8 AM — quietSep 21, 9 AM — quietSep 21, 10 AM — quietSep 21, 11 AM — 1 piece · 1 article — Newswires 1Sep 21, 12 PM — quietSep 21, 1 PM — quietSep 21, 2 PM — quietSep 21, 3 PM — quietSep 21, 4 PM — quietSep 21, 5 PM — quietSep 21, 6 PM — quietSep 21, 7 PM — quietSep 21, 8 PM — quietSep 21, 9 PM — quietSep 21, 10 PM — quietSep 21, 11 PM — quietSep 22, 12 AM — quietSep 22, 1 AM — quietSep 22, 2 AM — quietSep 22, 3 AM — quietSep 22, 4 AM — quietSep 22, 5 AM — quietSep 22, 6 AM — quietSep 22, 7 AM — quietSep 22, 8 AM — quietSep 22, 9 AM — quietSep 22, 10 AM — quietSep 22, 11 AM — quietSep 22, 12 PM — quietSep 22, 1 PM — quietSep 22, 2 PM — quietSep 22, 3 PM — quietSep 22, 4 PM — quietSep 22, 5 PM — quietSep 22, 6 PM — quietSep 22, 7 PM — quietSep 22, 8 PM — quietSep 22, 9 PM — quietSep 22, 10 PM — quietSep 22, 11 PM — quietYesterday, 12 AM — quietYesterday, 1 AM — quietYesterday, 2 AM — quietYesterday, 3 AM — quietYesterday, 4 AM — quietYesterday, 5 AM — quietYesterday, 6 AM — quietYesterday, 7 AM — quietYesterday, 8 AM — quietYesterday, 9 AM — quietYesterday, 10 AM — quietYesterday, 11 AM — quietYesterday, 12 PM — quietYesterday, 1 PM — quietYesterday, 2 PM — quietYesterday, 3 PM — quietYesterday, 4 PM — quietYesterday, 5 PM — quietYesterday, 6 PM — quietYesterday, 7 PM — quietYesterday, 8 PM — quietYesterday, 9 PM — quietYesterday, 10 PM — quietYesterday, 11 PM — quietToday, 12 AM — quietToday, 1 AM — quiet 1–2
Sep 22yesterdaynow · 2:56 AM ET
  1. 2

    CSIS reveals China's upgraded surveillance facilities at Djibouti base

    The Center for Strategic and International Studies published satellite imagery showing new antennas, satellite communications equipment, and signals intelligence assets at China's military base in Djibouti, located six miles from the U.S. base Camp Lemonnier. The report identified a 30-meter satellite dish with a dome, three dipole antennas, mobile satellite dishes, and probable 5G towers, along with two new communications facilities emerged since 2024.

    “This isn't a supply depot — it's a 50-yard line seat over America's power projection and the U.S. Navy.”
    — Morgan Murphy
    1. 1 outlet China ‘wiretapped Red Sea’ with spy hub 6 miles from US base: ex Pentagon official warns

      first by Fox News, 2d ago

  2. 1

    Ex-Pentagon official warns China has 'wiretapped the Red Sea'

    Morgan Murphy, a former Trump White House official and press secretary for Defense Secretary Mark Esper, characterized China's upgrades as eavesdropping infrastructure aimed at monitoring regional military activities. Murphy stated the dome-covered satellite dish and the base's proximity to Camp Lemonnier demonstrate hostile intent.

    “Beijing has clearly wiretapped the Red Sea. When you build a 30-meter (100-foot-wide) satellite dish and cover it with a dome, so nobody can see where it's pointing, it's pretty clear you're up to no good.”
    — Morgan Murphy