Israeli Security Threatened
90 Drones a Week: The Unstoppable Smuggling Epidemic Threatening Israel
Israel confronts an unprecedented security challenge as 90 weapon-laden drones cross weekly from Egypt. Netanyahu orders urgent action as officials warn of growing internal threats.
In an alarming revelation that underscores a critical failure in border security, an emergency session of the Knesset's Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee (FADC) today exposed a dramatic escalation in weapons smuggling across the Egyptian border, with unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) now serving as the primary delivery mechanism.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has responded to the crisis, issuing a direct directive to the Ministry of Defense and all relevant security bodies to formulate and present comprehensive recommendations on tackling the Egyptian border arms smuggling phenomenon within two months.
The emergency FADC debate, initiated by MK Zvi Sukkot, detailed a rapid and worrying shift in smuggling tactics, where "hundreds of drones" laden with weapons are flying from Egyptian territory into Israel.
Security Forces Down 90 Drones Weekly in Losing Battle
In a classified segment of the meeting, security officials updated lawmakers on the sheer scale of the threat. It was revealed that in the last two weeks, security forces managed to successfully intercept 50% of all drones detected, a number equating to approximately 90 drones every single week. The high interception rate, however, only highlights the massive volume of traffic that is still successfully crossing the border.
MK Sukkot, who requested the emergency meeting, issued a stark warning that defined the threat as an internal security risk of the highest order.
"The weapon systems being smuggled from the Egyptian border are intended to take over IDF bases in the South," Sukkot asserted at the opening of the discussion. "We are witnessing a grave phenomenon that endangers the security of the state from within. The enemy is arming itself freely from within the territory of the State of Israel."
The lawmaker drew a direct and chilling parallel to the terrorist attack of October 7, 2023, claiming:
"The quantity of weapons entering through these routes is being used by terrorist organizations who are already planning the next October 7th. It is unacceptable for the State of Israel to permit such a reality on its borders."
'Tunnels in the Air': A Strategic Erosion of Sovereignty
Lawmakers framed the airborne smuggling as a fundamental shift in the security landscape.
"If in the past we spoke of tunnels underground, today we are talking about tunnels in the air," Sukkot added. "These drones cross the border every night and bring with them weapons intended to harm us. We must not take this lightly. This is an existential security threat that demands an immediate national response."
MK Yuli Edelstein escalated the discussion, describing the issue as evolving from a tactical security challenge to a strategic event.
"Hamas is currently engaged in rehabilitation, and this is one of the channels through which Hamas will try to restore its capabilities," Edelstein cautioned. "We need to see what we can do before it is too late."
MK Amit Halevi emphasized the systemic failures, noting that a similar discussion took place a year ago with no clear answers provided: "There is a violation of Israeli sovereignty here."
Lawmakers also stressed the need for a coordinated, government-wide response, arguing that current efforts lack a comprehensive systemic answer. MK Sun Har Melech pointed to confusion over jurisdiction:
“We need to know who is responsible for what. Who is supposed to handle the military aspect, who the police, who the Shin Bet? Is there even a clear legal framework for this activity? And if not, is a legislative change required that will allow an immediate response without legal risk for the forces operating on the ground?”
The Prime Minister’s two-month deadline puts pressure on the Shin Bet, Mossad, IDF, and Israel Police to rapidly devise a national plan to halt the flow of weapons before the "tunnels in the air" further destabilize the nation's internal security.