“Positions of the mock enemy have been suppressed”: Egypt completed exercises on the Israeli border

As Al-Ahram writes, the main stage took place according to a scenario providing for the coordinated use of the air force, ground forces and special forces units: “Air defense systems and artillery provided support for the suppression of positions of the mock enemy and prevented the supply of reinforcements.” It is easy to guess who this “conditional enemy” was.

“Tank and mechanized units broke through the defenses, and, with the support of helicopters and guided anti-tank missiles, coordinated counterattacks were repelled. Special forces units, including paratroopers and commandos, carried out airborne landings and raids on targets,” the publication says.

Egyptian Defense Minister Ashraf Salem Zaher attended the exercise. “The armed forces demonstrated the ability to protect the country and its interests in the context of a regional conflict. The exercise confirmed the military’s readiness to defend Egypt in all strategic directions,” he said.

The exercises were carried out with the consent of Israel – as required by the peace treaty between the two countries. However, among residents of the border strip, live fire and the roar of tank engines a hundred meters from the border caused deep concern, recalling the trauma of October 7, 2023.

They also raise the issue of strategic surprise, the use of exercises as cover for an offensive operation. Note that “Badr” is also the name of the plan to cross the Suez Canal – the first phase of the Egyptian invasion during the Yom Kippur War of 1973.