Politics Israel declares border with Egypt a restricted area
In view of massive arms smuggling with the help of drones, the Israeli defense minister has declared his country's border area with Egypt a restricted military area.
06.11.2025, 14:43
SDA
Shooting orders should be changed accordingly, according to a statement by Minister Israel Katz.
It had been agreed with the head of the domestic intelligence service Shin Bet, David Zini, to define the threat of weapons smuggling via drones as a terrorist threat. "We declare war - anyone who enters the forbidden area will be hit," Katz said in the statement. The firing orders were to be tightened so that any unauthorized person entering the restricted area could be hit. This is aimed at drone operators and smugglers.
New rules of the game
"The smuggling of weapons using drones is part of the Gaza war and is aimed at arming our enemies - and all means must be taken to stop it", Katz said in the statement. It must be made clear to the smugglers that the rules of the game have changed, "and they will pay a very high price if they don't stop".
Massive smuggling with drones
According to Israeli media reports, there is massive smuggling of weapons and drugs on the border between Israel and Egypt. The Times of Israel reported that smugglers on the Israeli side usually approach the border at a distance of one to five kilometers, then steer drones across the border to Egypt and land them there again one to three kilometers from the fence. On the Egyptian side, smugglers load the drones with contraband and the smugglers on the Israeli side then steer the drones back.
According to media reports, the weapons are destined for criminal gangs in Israel, but some of them also reach the Gaza Strip. Egypt has denied reports of arms smuggling on the border with Israel in the past.
