Taiwan Detects 28 PLA Aircraft Sorties, 24 Crossing Median Line — Highest Crossing Count Since Sept 7 Window High

Taiwan's Ministry of National Defense detected 28 PLA aircraft sorties, 7 PLAN vessels and 2 official ships operating around Taiwan in the 24 hours to 6 a.m. (UTC+8) September 18, 2026; 24 of the 28 sorties crossed the Taiwan Strait median line, entering the northern, central, southwestern and eastern ADIZ sectors. Taiwan's armed forces responded with CAP aircraft, navy ships and coastal missile systems. The 24 median-line crossings are the most recorded in a single window since the Sept 7 surge (29 sorties, 17 crossing), and mark the fifth consecutive day of rising PLA activity (4 on Sept 14, 8 on Sept 15, 15 on Sept 16, 19 on Sept 17), coinciding with the final day of Taiwan's own Jioupeng Base precision-strike live-fire drill and President Lai's on-site inspection.