US-Philippines-Japan Balikatan Exercise Sinks Target Ship With Anti-Ship Missiles in South China Sea

Japanese anti-ship missiles struck and sank a decommissioned Philippine vessel during Balikatan 2026 exercises around May 12, marking the first live-fire Japanese anti-ship engagement outside Japanese waters. A US Tomahawk cruise missile was also fired during the exercise on May 5, which China called the most serious military provocation in years. The PLA Southern Theater Command deployed four warships and two H-6 bombers armed with anti-ship missiles to shadow the exercises near Scarborough Shoal.