Egypt's Defense Minister Urges Air Defense Forces to Maintain Peak Combat Readiness
During an iftar gathering with members of the Air Defense Forces on Sunday, Saqr emphasized the need for full preparedness to protect Egypt's airspace against all threats. The event was attended by Chief of Staff Ahmed Khalifa, senior military commanders, and key officials from the armed forces.
According to military spokesman Gharib Abdel Hafez, the defense minister conveyed President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi's appreciation for the unwavering efforts of Egypt's air defense personnel in safeguarding national airspace around the clock.
He reaffirmed the Armed Forces' commitment to continuously supporting the air defense units by equipping them with the latest combat systems to ensure optimal mission execution.
Saqr also reviewed regional developments and their implications for Egypt's national security, underscoring the strategic importance of maintaining a well-prepared and technologically advanced military.
On Saturday, the defense minister shared an iftar meal with troops from the Central Military Zone, Border Guards, Paratroopers, and Special Forces. He highlighted the army's recent advancements in training and armament across all branches, formations, and units.
'Our Armed Forces, equipped with a modernized defense system, are fully capable of securing the country's strategic borders,' Saqr stated. He described national defense as a 'sacred duty' requiring continuous readiness to confront emerging challenges.
He also urged the troops to prioritize ongoing training, maintain high morale, and enhance both their physical and tactical skills, ensuring that the military remains vigilant and prepared to execute any mission under any circumstances.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Al Arabiya
2 days ago
- Al Arabiya
Sweden mulls calling up 70-year-old officers for military service
Sweden is considering calling up former officers as old as 70 to active duty as it seeks to ensure its military is prepared in times of crisis, the defense minister said on Monday. The proposal is among several options suggested by an inquiry that the government ordered in 2024, the year the country joined NATO, to look at how Sweden's expanding armed forces would be assured of personnel in a conflict. Sweden broke two centuries of military non-alignment to join NATO in the aftermath of Russia's 2022 full-scaled invasion of Ukraine, which sparked alarm in Stockholm and Finland that Moscow could eventually threaten them. Presenting the results of the government probe, Defense Minister Pal Jonson told a press conference on Monday that the Nordic country of 10.5 million people faced 'serious times.' 'This means that we are now making very significant investments in the military defense,' Jonson told reporters. In addition to investing in equipment already underway, Sweden also needed to make sure that enough military personnel would be available in a crisis. The government probe suggested raising the age that former military officers could be recalled to active duty to 70, from the current 47. It also proposed removing a limit on military deployment for former conscripts. Currently, 'deployment duty' remains for a maximum of 10 years after the most recent military service, but the inquiry suggested scrapping this limit and instead placing those who hadn't served for 10 years or more into the Swedish Armed Forces' reserve force. Jonson said the proposals would be sent out for review, hoping to present a bill to parliament early next year. After the end of the Cold War, Sweden drastically slashed its defense spending as it focused its military efforts on international peacekeeping missions. But it reversed course following Russia's 2014 annexation of Crimea, and begun increasing military expenditure. In 2017, the country reintroduced compulsory military service, seven years after abandoning it. In March, the government announced it would increase defense spending by about 300 billion kronor ($31 billion) over the next decade, aiming to increase spending to 3.5 percent of GDP by 2030.
Leaders
2 days ago
- Leaders
Trump Renews Hope for Gaza Deal as Israel Strikes Children Collecting Water
The US President, Donald Trump, has again expressed hope that a ceasefire deal in Gaza would be finalized over the next week, although the latest talks in Doha has reached a stalemate. Meanwhile, an Israeli airstrike killed ten people, including six children, at a water distribution point in central Gaza, one of many deadly incidents during the past few days. Trump Reviving Hope On Sunday, Trump expressed hope that ceasefire talks could achieve progress over the next week, even as the recent negotiations at Doha stalled, with both Hamas and Israel trading accusations over blocking the deal. 'Gaza — we are talking and hopefully we're going to get that straightened out over the next week,' the US President told reporters, according to AFP. Trump's remarks echoed similar comments he made earlier this month. During a meeting with the Israeli Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, last week in the White House, Trump said that negotiations were 'going along very well.' Earlier, he expressed optimism regarding the ceasefire deal. 'I'm very optimistic — but you know, look, it changes from day to day,' he said. Moreover, he expected a deal that would end the war in Gaza in similar comments on July 4. 'There could be a Gaza deal next week,' Trump told reporters back then. Stalled Talks The recent talks between Hamas and Israel in Qatar has faltered as both sides disagree on a number of issues, most notably the Israeli withdrawal from Gaza. The proposed deal involves a 60-day truce, during which Israeli troops would withdraw from parts of northern Gaza on the first day and parts of southern Gaza on the seventh day. However, Hamas and Israel should negotiate over the detailed maps, which is the main cause for the dispute, according to CNN. According to Palestinian sources, Israel wants to keep its troops in 40% of the Strip, forcing Palestinians into a small area near the southern city of Rafah. On the other hand, Hamas insists on a complete withdrawal of Israeli forces from Gaza. Israel accused Hamas of deliberately obstructing the deal. In a video address on Sunday, Netanyahu said that Israel accepted the deal but the Palestinian movement rejected it. 'We accepted the deal, the Witkoff Deal, and even later the version that the mediators proposed to us — we accepted that too. Hamas rejected it,' he said. The Israeli Prime Minister reiterated his determination on returning the hostage and defeating Hamas. 'What we need to do is the right thing: insist on the release of the hostages and insist on the second objective of the war in Gaza — the elimination of Hamas and ensuring that Gaza will never again be a threat to Israel,' he noted. As a result, the Egyptian, Qatari and American mediators urged both sides to delay talks until the US Special Envoy, Steve Witkoff, arrives in Doha. Palestinian Children Killed Despite the ongoing ceasefire talks in Doha, Israel has intensified its military campaign in Gaza, amid mounting civilian death toll. According to Gaza's Health Ministry, the enclave's hospitals received the bodies of 139 Palestinians on Sunday, the highest number reported since July 2. On Sunday, an Israeli airstrike killed 10 people, including six children, and injuring others at a water distribution point in Nuseirat refugee camp in central Gaza, according to Al-Awda Hospital. The Israeli military acknowledged the incident, blaming it on a 'technical error.' In a statement, it said the airstrike was targeting an 'Islamic Jihad terrorist' but due to a malfunction, 'the munition fell dozens of meters from the target.' It added that the incident was under review. Mounting Death Toll Israeli strikes also killed at least 12 people and wounded more than 40 on Sunday, after hitting a crowded junction at Gaza City, according to the Director of Al-Shifa Medical Complex. These deadly incidents followed similar ones on Saturday, as the Gaza Health Ministry said that Israeli troops killed 27 people and injured others by opening fire at an aid distribution site run by the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF) near Rafah. The US-backed organization and the Israeli military denied the claim. However, the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) said its field hospital near the area had received 132 cases having weapon-related injuries, 25 of them died upon arrival while 6 more died after admission. The ICRC noted that this marked the largest number of fatalities since the hospital started operations in May 2024. 'This situation is unacceptable. The alarming frequency and scale of these mass casualty incidents underscore the horrific conditions civilians in Gaza are enduring,' the ICRC said. Israel's war on Gaza has claimed the lives of 58,026 Palestinians and injured more than 138,500 others since October 7, 2023. Meanwhile, over 830 people were killed near aid distribution sites, the Gaza Health Ministry said on Sunday. Short link : Post Views: 65
Leaders
6 days ago
- Leaders
EU Reaches Deal with Israel on Gaza Aid
The European Union (EU) announced it had reached an agreement with Israel on expanding aid to Gaza to improve the humanitarian situation in the Strip. The EU Foreign Affairs Chief, Kaja Kallas, made the announcement on Thursday, saying the deal will involve more aid trucks entering Gaza, the repair of critical infrastructure and the protection of aid workers. 'Today, we reached an agreement with Israel to expand humanitarian access to Gaza. This deal means more crossings open, aid and food trucks entering Gaza, repair of vital infrastructure and protection of aid workers. We count on Israel to implement every measure agreed,' Kallas wrote on X. EU-Israel Deal Details In a statement, the EU Foreign Affairs Chief said that these measures 'are or will be implemented in the coming days, with the common understanding that aid at scale must be delivered directly to the population.' She added that the steps agreed upon include 'the substantial increase of daily trucks for food and non-food items to enter Gaza, the opening of several other crossing points in both the northern and southern areas; and the reopening of the Jordanian and Egyptian aid routes.' They also include 'enabling the distribution of food supplies through bakeries and public kitchens throughout the Gaza strip; the resumption of fuel deliveries for use by humanitarian facilities, up to an operational level; the protection of aid workers; and the repair and facilitation of works on vital infrastructure like the resumption of the power supply to the water desalination facility.' Immediate Ceasefire Kallas also expressed the EU readiness to coordinate with 'all relevant humanitarian stakeholders, UN agencies and NGOs on the ground, to ensure swift implementation of those urgent steps.' Furthermore, she reiterated the bloc's call for an immediate ceasefire and the release of all hostages, emphasizing support for the current efforts of mediators Egypt, Qatar and the US. The deal comes as the EU found Israel in breach of its obligation under the Association Agreement between both sides in the light of Israel's actions in Gaza. The bloc was considering taking measures against Israel. The war in Gaza has so far claimed the lives of more than 57,600 Palestinians and injured over 137,000, according to Gaza's Health Ministry. Short link : Post Views: 55
