Between April 26 and 30, 2026, the Egyptian military carried out in the Sinai Peninsula a joint live-fire exercise titled “Badr 2026.” The exercise – which involved Third Field Army ground forces, aerial forces and special forces units, and included neutralization of enemy capabilities and infiltration of enemy territory – has been interpreted as a show of force and a message of deterrence aimed at Israel. Although the Egyptian military did not disclose the exact location of the exercise, messages conveyed by the Israel Defense Forces to Israeli communities near the Egyptian border, which warned that the live fire could approach as close as 100 meters away from the border fence, indicate the proximity of the maneuvers to Israel.[1]
Statements by Egyptian officials and articles in the Egyptian press likewise strengthen the assessment that the exercise was a show of force against Israel. Egyptian military officials who observed the exercise said that they were meant to convey a message of deterrence to anybody who is considering harming Egypt, and that the Egyptian forces are prepared to meet any threat in light of the regional challenges. Egyptian journalists praised the might of the Egyptian military, saying that it establishes a new equation of power and deterrence.
It should be noted that “Badr” was also the name of Egypt’s military offensive to cross the Suez Canal in the 1973 war with Israel, and that since then the Egyptian military has carried out several large military exercises under this title as part of its annual training regimen.[2]
Two weeks after Badr 2026, Egyptian commandos were seen doing physical fitness training in the streets of the city of Al-Obour – named after the crossing of the Suez Canal in 1973 – while chanting praise for the Egyptian military.[3]
It should be noted that since Hamas’s October 7, 2023 massacres in southern Israel and the subsequent war, there have been reports that the Egyptian military has reinforced its presence in Sinai, allegedly due to concerns that Israel would transfer Palestinians from Gaza to the peninsula.[4] This is in addition to other measures reportedly taken by the Egyptian military in Sinai: In May 2026, the Facebook page of Al-Jazeera Egypt reported that Egypt had upgraded the runways at Al-Gora airport, which is used by the multinational force monitoring the peace agreement with Israel. The base is located in northern Sinai, only a few kilometers from the Israeli border and the Gaza Strip, raising concerns that Egypt could use it for air strikes against Israel.[5] Former Egyptian military officials argued that the peace treaty does not prohibit the construction of airfields and that Egypt has the right to secure its border “in light of Israeli violations of the agreement.”[6] In September 2025 it was reported that Egypt had deployed Chinese-made air defense systems in strategic locations, also as a message to Israel.[7] And in May 2025 it was reported that, as part of a joint military exercise with China, a Chinese KJ-500 Airborne Early Warning and Control aircraft – which carries reconnaissance systems – had been deployed, apparently to test Israel’s response.[8]
Alongside the military shows of force against Israel, hostility towards this country was also evident in the discourse by Egyptian officials, who referred to Israel as an enemy, and in press articles that threatened it and hoped for its destruction, some of them containing antisemitic motifs.[9]A notable example was a September 2025 statement by Egyptian President Abdel Fattah Al-Sisi in which he said that the peace agreement with Israel was “in danger” and that Israel was an “enemy.”[10] In the same month, Diaa Rashwan, then chief of Egypt’s State Information Service and now Egypt’s Information Minister, noted that Egypt was capable of carrying out a military operation against Israel because “the distance between Al-Arish and Tel Aviv” is not very great.
This report reviews Egypt’s Badr 2026 military exercise in Sinai and the messages it was intended to convey, as presented by Egyptian officials and press, as well as threats of military action against Israel voiced by Egyptian officials.
Badr 2026: A Joint Exercise Simulating Integrated Combat Against An Enemy Army
As mentioned, in late April 2026 the Egyptian military held a “live-fire tactical exercise” titled “Badr 2026” that simulated combat with an enemy country. The exercise – meant to showcase the readiness of Egyptian forces and test the ability of their various branches to operate jointly while using advanced weapons – involved the Third Field Army,[11] aerial forces, air defense units, and special forces. The apparent location of the exercise strengthens the assessment that it was meant as a show of force to Israel.
The exercise simulated aerial reconnaissance of enemy forces and supply chains; aerial dominance and defense of ground forces; airstrikes aimed at neutralizing enemy command centers; artillery fire in advance of an infantry and armored advance on enemy defenses; and airborne insertion of special forces in the depth of enemy territory.
The show-of-force aspect of the exercise was also evident from the presence of high-ranking Egyptian military and political officials. The main part of the exercise was observed by Egyptian Defense Minister Ashraf Zaher, who also serves as Commander in Chief of the Egyptian military; Egyptian Armed Forces Chief of Staff Lieutenant General Ahmad Khalifa; commanders of Egypt’s major military corps and additional military officials, and members of parliament. It was also attended by media personalities, military academy students, university students, and tribal sheikhs, as a show of public support for the military and its buildup.[12]
Egyptian Officials: The Exercise Is A Display Of Might In Light Of External Challenges
Egyptian military officials said that the exercise was meant as a show of force in light of external challenges, and as a message of reassurance to the Egyptians, highlighting the military’s ability to defend the country. Egyptian Defense Minister Ashraf Zaher said that the armed forces are working to train their troops “to defend the homeland and its holy sites” in light of “the changes and challenges in the region.” The military is in high combat readiness, he added, and the exercise is a message of reassurance to the Egyptian people, that the military can maintain national security on all strategic fronts.[13]
Commander of the Third Field Army Maj. Gen. Ahmad Sarhan praised the operational readiness of his troops, saying that they are capable of “carrying out any mission assigned to them in order to preserve the security and integrity of the homeland, no matter the sacrifice.”[14]
Mustafa Abu Zahraa, a member of Egypt’s upper house of parliament, hinted that the exercise was aimed at Israel when he referred to the Third Field Army forces as “the defenders of the eastern gate [i.e. the border with Israel].” Adding that the timing and the location of the exercise have “deep strategic significance,” he warned that Egypt as “strong fangs” that can defend the country’s borders and interests amid the unrest in the region. He called the exercise “a real show of force” and a warning to all those who wish to harm Egypt’s national security.[15]
Egyptian Officials Call Israel An Enemy
As mentioned, the show of force against Israel comes amid increasingly hostile statements from Egyptian officials over the past year, including from President Al-Sisi, who referred to Israel as an enemy.
For example, on May 12, 2026 the Emirati English-language daily The National cited Egyptian officials as having said that “the number-one enemy in the Egyptian military doctrine is Israel” and that this strengthens the relationship between Egypt and Iran. The officials even said that Egypt views Iran as a “major asset” in its policy against Israel in the region.[16]
A week later, Egyptian Foreign Minister Dr. Badr Abdelatty told CNN that even though Israel and Egypt have a peace agreement, Egypt is affected by Israel’s regional policy – particularly in Gaza, the West Bank, Lebanon, and the other Arab countries Israel has attacked – and will only adhere to the agreement as long as Israel does.[17]
Egyptian President Al-Sisi In September 2025: The Peace Deal Is In Danger; Egyptian Official: Al-Arish Is Not So Far From Tel Aviv
Additional notable statements against Israel were made by Egyptian officials in September 2025. First and foremost among these was President Al-Sisi’s remarks following Israeli airstrikes targeting Hamas’s top leadership in Doha, Qatar. Ignoring Hamas’s terrorist activities, Al-Sisi said that the peace deal with Israel was “in danger” and referred to Israel as an “enemy,” adding: “Our position must change the enemy’s perception of us, such that it understands that the territory of every Arab country extends from the [Atlantic] Ocean to the [Persian] Gulf, and that its [defense] umbrella includes all Islamic countries…”[18]
Then-chief of Egypt’s State Information Service Diaa Rashwan (who is now Egypt’s Information Minister) adopted a threatening tone towards Israel after the latter hinted at the possibility of suspending the natural gas export deal with Egypt.[19] Rashwan told the Egyptian Al-Mashhad channel that the Egyptian military “is the only regular army in the region that can handle the challenges of direct war,” adding: “The distance between Al-Arish and Tel Aviv is no more than 100 kilometers [sic[20]]; the border between Egypt and Israel is 240 kilometers long, including 14 kilometers of Egypt’s border with Gaza; Eilat, which became a refuge for those [Israelis] displaced from the Gaza [envelope] and from northern Israel [during the recent war], is only 200 meters from Egyptian territory… And the difference in size between historic Palestine [i.e., modern-day Israel], whose area is 27,000 square kilometers, and the Sinai Peninsula, whose area is 66,000 square kilometers, strengthens Egypt’s strategic stance in its political or military considerations.”[21]
Egyptian Journalists: Egypt’s Military Is Establishing A New Equation Of Power And Deterrence
Articles published in the Egyptian press reinforce the perspective that Badr 2026 was a message of deterrence.
Ayman Abdel Magid, editor-in-chief of the Egyptian state weekly Rose Al-Yousuf, who attended the exercise, wrote an article praising the Egyptian military and its achievements, emphasizing the message of deterrence against Israel in light of past wars and the current war in Gaza. After reviewing the Egyptian military’s achievements in the 1967-1973 War of Attrition with Israel and the crossing of the Suez Canal in 1973, which he said “led to the [complete] liberation of all of our national territory [in Sinai] by 1989,” he wrote: “Over the past decade, the deterrence capability of the Egyptian military has increased, as has its readiness, amid an international and regional arena full of conflicts and challenges on every strategic axis… The most important message [of Badr 2026] is that the deterrence capability and the comprehensive development of the country’s capabilities are a foundation for peace and security, since weakness tempts the enemy while strength deters it. Evidence from [both] distant and recent history prove this… [and] Egypt’s deterrence in the face of [Israel’s supposed] plans to expel the Palestinians [from Gaza] is the best example of this…”[22] The last sentence explicitly indicates that Israel is the main object of the message of deterrence.
Similarly, Egyptian journalist Ahmad Abdel Azim wrote in his column in Rose Al-Yousouf that Badr 2026 was not just a military exercise but “a comprehensive strategic message” stressing that Egypt’s armed forces continue to establish “an equation of force and deterrence in a region steeped in challenges.” Abdel Azim wrote that the first message of the exercise was that “combat readiness is high,” and stated that the exercise “reflected our true capacity to carry out complex operations and handle complex combat situations.” He added: “The preservation of Egypt’s national security takes place as part of constant readiness, not [just] in response to emergencies.”
He went on to say that the second message of the exercise is deterrence, writing: “Such exercises prove with clarity that Egypt has a force capable of protecting its interests and its borders, and that its military maintains readiness that allows it to prepare for any threat with great accuracy.” He stressed that the strength of Egypt’s military is not measured only by its weapons, but also by its doctrines: “The training of an aware and disciplined soldier, and the ability to make decisions under pressure, have become the secret that makes the Egyptian military establishment unique.”
He concluded that Badr 2026 sent a clear message of reassurance to the Egyptian people, that “the country is backed by a powerful and watchful military that can defend the resources of the homeland from every strategic direction.”[23]
Alongside this discourse, there were also instances of general incitement against Israel, particularly in Egyptian articles expressing a wish to see it perish. A conspicuous example was an article by journalist Sayed Ali in the state daily Al-Ahram that envisioned a world without Israel and argued that this would be the world’s salvation and “one of the noblest of deeds and a boon for humanity today and for the generations to come.” A world without Israel, he added, would be “ideal, free of injustice, aggression and conspiracy, and without war, fatalities, ruin and destruction – because [Israel] is the reason for many of the most inhuman wars, crises, terror and crimes in the region.”[24]
Egyptian journalist and political science lecturer Dr. Gamal Zahran wrote in his column in Al-Ahram that Israel is on a path to destruction: “The main question is whether the Zionist entity [i.e., Isreal] is on its way to extinction. The answer is decidedly yes. This entity has already completed its role.
“There are many reasons for the downfall of the Zionist entity. The most important of them is that the Palestinian resistance [i.e., Hamas] launched the ‘Al-Aqsa Flood’ – namely the October 7, 2023 [attack] – in a powerful, unprecedented and one-time manner, thereby creating a [sharp] divide between two eras: before the Flood and after it. For two years this resistance prevented the enemy from achieving victory, from breaking its will and from stopping it. [Then] it forced America to conduct negotiations on the [Zionist] entity’s behalf, and to unite with it to the point of erasing it and making decisions [in its name], as if there is no longer a state called the Zionist entity.
“[Another reason for Israel’s impending doom] is the unprecedented implosion of its internal arena: millions were forced to flee in terror from the rockets of the resistance [that came] from every direction; the issue of the ‘Haredim’ [ultra-Orthodox Jews] blew up, and the economy deteriorated, with losses estimated at between 100 and 150 billion dollars. Major economic sectors were paralyzed. In addition, there is the rift within the entity’s army, of which there are countless indications…”[25]
“The third reason is the Zionist failure in the [international] campaign and the growing calls in America and Europe to stop supporting the failing Zionist entity, which does nothing to protect the interests of the West.
“For these reasons and others, the Zionist entity will soon meet its end…”
Dandrawi Al-Hawari, acting editor of the Egyptian daily Al-Youm Al-Sabi’, referred to ancient prophecies about the destruction of Israel, saying that if they come true, this will put an end to “Greater Israel.” He wrote on August 24, 2025 that he had been studying the ancient Merneptah Stele – attributed to the son of Ramses II – which contains the word “Israel,” and referred to alleged translations by archeologists and Egyptologists who claim that the text predicts Israel’s future destruction.[26]
[1] Ynet.co.il, April 26, 2026.
[2] The name also recalls the Battle of Badr, which took place during Ramadan of 624 CE near the springs of Badr in the Arabia Peninsula, and was the first battle between the followers of the Prophet Muhammad and his opponents from the Meccan Quraysh tribe. This battle ended with a historic victory for the Muslims despite their smaller numbers, and is therefore of great significance in Islamic tradition. It should be noted that Egypt’s invasion of the Israeli-held Sinai Peninsula in the 1973 war also took place during Ramadan.
[3] Arabic.rt.com, May 16, 2026.
[4] According to an August 26, 2025 report in the Hizbullah-affiliated Lebanese daily Al-Akhbar, since October 7 Egypt has repeatedly reinforced its military presence in Zone C of the Sinai Peninsula, which runs parallel to the border with the Gaza Strip, eventually increasing its military presence there fourfold. The report added that Egypt has notified the committee overseeing the implementation of the Camp David Accords that it intended to increase its presence in the area even further. Another report, from August 19, 2025 in Middleeasteye.net, said that 40,000 Egyptian troops were deployed in the Sinai Peninsula – double the number allowed by the Egypt-Israel peace agreement. On the backdrop of these reports, Egypt stated that it still abides by the peace agreement and that its actions are coordinated with Israel. For example, see: Facebook.com/StateInformationService, September 21, 2025.
[5] Facebook.com/watch/?v=201131734280858, May 14, 2026.
[6] Maj. Gen. Samir Farag, a former military officer with close ties to the Egyptian government, told the Asharq Al-Awsat daily that the peace treaty does not prohibit the development of airfields. Mohamed Rashad, a former deputy chief of Egyptian intelligence, told the daily that the increase in Egypt’s military presence in Sinai had come as a result of Israeli violations of the Camp David Accords through Israel’s entry into the Philadelphi Corridor on the Gaza border. He added that Egypt has the right to secure its border (Asharq Al-Awsat, London, June 1, 2026).
[7] Middleeastmonitor.com, September 16, 2025; Al-Arab (UAE), September 15, 2025.
[8] Facebook.com/DefenseArabic, May 4, 2025; eng.mod.gov.cn, May 8, 2025.
[9] See e.g., MEMRI reports: Special Dispatch No. 12253, Columnist In Egypt’s State Daily Al-Ahram: Israel Has Been Defeated By Hamas And Is On Its Way To Extinction, November 10, 2025; MEMRI Special Dispatch No. 12358, Article In Egyptian State Daily: Israel Is Controlled By A Group Of Jewish Terrorists No Better Than Al-Qaeda Or ISIS; The International Coalition Against Terrorism Must Fight It, February 5, 2026; MEMRI Special Dispatch No. 12456, Antisemitism, Holocaust Denial, Incitement Against Israel In Egyptian Press In Context Of Recent War With Iran, April 27, 2026.
[10] Elmashhad.online, September 15, 2025.
[11] The Third Field Army, Egypt’s second-largest combat force, consists of infantry as well as mechanized, artillery, and armored forces, and is headquartered in Suez.
[12] Al-Usbu’ (Egypt), May 3, 2026; X.com/EgyArmySpox, April 29, 2026.
[13] Al-Usbu’ (Egypt), May 3, 2026.
[14] Timesofegypt.com, April 29, 2026.
[15] Al-Ahram (Egypt), April 30, 2026.
[16] Thenationalnews.com, May 12, 2026.
[17] Edition.cnn.com, May 19, 2026.
[18] Elmashhad.online; english.ahram.org.eg, September 15, 2026.
[19] Under the deal in question, finalized in December 2025, Israel is to supply Egypt with natural gas from the Leviathan offshore field through 2040.
[20] In actual fact, the direct distance between Al-Arish and Tel Aviv is about 140 km.
[21] Masrawy.com, September 4, 2026.
[22] Rose Al-Yousuf (Egypt), April 30, 2026.
[23] Rose Al-Yousuf (Egypt), April 29, 2026.
[26] Al-Youm Al-Sabi’ (Egypt), August 24, 2025.