War? Or something else? Egypt orders forces in Sinai to be on highest alert

Egyptian Defense Minister Abdel Mageed Saqr has reportedly placed Egyptian armed forces in Rafah and in the Sinai Peninsula on the highest level of alert today (Wednesday), according to Army Radio.

Israel has been concerned about the seemingly rapid buildup of Egyptian forces in the area ever since it was allowed to deploy forces to fight ISIS in the area.

Despite the formal peace treaty, relations between Israel and Egypt have been increasingly chilly, with tensions over things like seizing the Rafah crossing and Philadelphi Corridor, which Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi threatened could endanger Egyptian national security, and the peace treaty.

The discovery and publication of smuggling tunnels which allegedly reach from the Gaza Strip into Egypt, effectively accusing Egypt of continuing to be complicit in allowing Hamas' arms buildup prior to the October 7 attack also soured relations.

However, few things terrify Egypt more than a massive influx of displaced Palestinians from the war into the country's territory. When the idea of any number of Palestinians being allowed to flee the war was publicly raised, Egyptians protested loudly.

They then went further, erecting tall and solid barriers along the border, reinforced with additional troops to make sure no-one is allowed into the country.

The reinforcement of the Sinai peninsula with tens of thousands of soldiers and their placement on the highest alert may be related to that, as Egypt has vociferously opposed the idea of Gazans being relocated to the country, as proposed by President Donald Trump.

However, as the Egyptian Army has always designated Israel as its main enemy even after the peace treaty was signed, the possibility of hostile intentions towards Israel itself cannot be entirely discounted.

Egypt is planning on submitting its own plan for rebuilding the Gaza Strip without any Gazans leaving to a conference of representatives of Arab states with the aim of staving off pressure from President Trump.