<p>At least two American pilots suffered eye injuries last month when they were exposed to &ldquo;military-grade laser beams&rdquo; while flying over the African nation of Djibouti.</p>
<p>The Pentagon believes the lasers came from a Chinese military base there, and has filed a formal diplomatic protest with Beijing over the matter. ;</p>
<p>The military issued a Notice to Airmen (NOTAM) this week, warning pilots of &ldquo;unauthorized laser activity&rdquo; and urging them to &ldquo;exercise extreme caution&rdquo; when flying over Djibouti.</p>
<p>China is among the 100+ nations to sign the <em>Protocol on Blinding Laser Weapons</em>, but has been accused of using them in the past. ;</p>
<p>&ldquo;This activity poses a true threat to our airmen,&rdquo; said State Department spokeswoman Dana White, who on Thursday confirmed the department had urged China to launch an investigation into the matter.</p>
<p>There are about 4,000 Americans stationed ;in Djibouti at Camp Lemonnier, which ;is the largest US military base in Africa. ;Troops last week ;were forced to halt air operations after a series of &ldquo;accidents&rdquo; involving aircraft.</p>
<p>Camp Lemonnier is a critically important location in the fight against terror given its proximity to Yemen and Somalia, where the US military regularly targets terrorists in airstrikes. ;</p>
<p>China built its very first overseas military base in Djibouti in 2017, located just 8 miles from Camp Lemonnier. &ldquo;US officials have long suspected that Beijing&rsquo;s intention is to monitor the sensitive US operations there,&rdquo; notes <em>The Wall Street Journal. ;</em></p>
<p>China has refused to comment on the laser attacks, but has complained about foreign planes flying over its base.</p>
<p>&ldquo;These incidents are not surprising as they represent an act just short of war, but indicate gross, intentional negligence, as well as complete disregard for aviation safety and international norms,&rdquo; said former Air Force Colonel Trey Meeks. &ldquo;I would certainly view it as harassment.&rdquo;</p>
<p>Another official said the military also believes China is using lasers to distract US pilots flying over the South China Sea.</p>