The Philippines said Chinese vessels obstructed a resupply mission to a small military outpost at Second Thomas Shoal in the South China Sea, escalating tensions in a long-running territorial dispute. Manila said the operation was meant to support a Philippine marine detachment stationed on the reef.

According to the Philippine account, Chinese boats used water cannons and positioned themselves to stop the mission from reaching the outpost. The incident adds to a pattern of increasingly risky confrontations around the disputed waterway, where both sides have repeatedly accused each other of provocative behavior.

Second Thomas Shoal has become one of the most sensitive flashpoints in the region because of its strategic location and the presence of a stranded Philippine naval vessel used as a makeshift base. The latest clash is likely to intensify diplomatic pressure on Beijing and renew concerns over the safety of crews operating in contested waters.

The South China Sea remains a critical security and trade corridor, and repeated confrontations have raised the risk of a wider crisis. For Manila, keeping its outpost supplied has become both a logistical challenge and a political test of its ability to defend claims in disputed waters.