Yoni Ben Menachem, a senior researcher at the Jerusalem Center for Security and Foreign Affairs, is warning that a recent Egyptian military exercise conducted near the Israeli border is highly unusual and potentially troubling.
According to him, the scale and proximity of the drill suggest that Egypt’s working scenario includes a potential conflict with the IDF. “They continue to train and violate the agreement, with their reference scenario being a war with the IDF,” he said, adding that such activity so close to the border requires a reassessment of Israel’s strategic assumptions.
Ben Menachem noted that Israel’s restrained response is likely deliberate, tied to broader US interests in maintaining regional stability.
He also addressed the Gaza front, stating there are no partial solutions when dealing with Hamas. According to his assessment, separating the civilian population from Hamas control would require direct military action to dismantle the group’s infrastructure.