Israeli security and strategic circles are increasingly concerned about Egypt’s expanding regional role, according to an analytical report published by Israel Hayom.
The newspaper said that developments in Tel Aviv are being closely monitored amid “growing Egyptian activity” on the Arab and African stages. It pointed in particular to the strengthening of Egypt’s military presence in Libya and Sudan, as well as deepening security coordination with countries such as Algeria and Iraq.
According to the report, Israeli security assessments increasingly view these moves as evidence of broader strategic ambitions by Cairo that could reshape regional balances in ways that do not align with Israeli interests.
The analysis said the prevailing view within Israel’s security establishment is that Egypt, under President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi, is no longer satisfied with its traditional role as a neutral mediator in regional conflicts. Instead, it is seen as seeking a more assertive leadership role, capitalising on political and security vacuums left by other regional powers in recent years.
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The report noted that Egyptian expansion at times intersects with Israeli interests, particularly in Libya. Cairo openly backs the eastern Libyan forces based in Tobruk, while Israel, according to the newspaper, provides indirect support to rival factions, despite not publicly acknowledging this role. This divergence, it said, complicates efforts to reach a stable political settlement in the divided country.
Israel Hayom argued that the primary challenge for Israel is not limited to Egypt’s military posture, but also to Cairo’s ability to build a web of regional alliances that could restrict Israeli influence across the Arab world.
It added that these concerns are heightened by the lack of tangible progress in the peace process and the absence of new opportunities for normalisation with Arab states that have yet to sign agreements with Israel.
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