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Yahoo
2 days ago
- Politics
- Yahoo
Drones increasingly being used to smuggle items from Sinai to Gaza
The context surrounding the smuggling into Gaza, however, may not be a surprise. Drones are increasingly being used to smuggle items from Sinai to Gaza, according to a report at The New Arab. While any kind of report like this should be greeted with some skepticism, it is clear that drones are increasingly being used to smuggle items not just in the Middle East, but worldwide. The New Arab is also known as Al-Araby Al-Jadeed and is a London-based pan-Arab news outlet. Several drone smuggling attempts from Egypt into Israel have been reported over the last year. In late October 2024, a drone carrying weapons from Egypt was downed. In November, a drone carrying weapons and ammunition crossed into Israel from Egypt. Arab News noted, 'The Israeli military said on Wednesday it shot down a drone that was carrying weapons and crossed from Egypt to Israel.' In January, another incident took place. 'IDF forces identified and thwarted a smuggling attempt from Egypt into Israel overnight,' The Jerusalem Post reported. In February, a drone was downed by the IDF while trying to smuggle weapons and ammunition into the Negev. In April, another two drones carrying weapons were also intercepted. This context illustrates that the new report about smuggling to Gaza may not be a surprise. What does the report say? It claims that recently, Gazans in Mawasi, the humanitarian area in Gaza, woke up to the sound of a drone crashing. 'It became clear that what had fallen was a drone carrying bags that had been hit by an Israeli missile while flying over the tents, coming from the direction of southern Gaza, the Egyptian-Palestinian border.' The report claims that drug smugglers have been involved in the drone operations. 'They opened fire on anyone who tried to approach the area, even ambulances and civil defense vehicles were not spared.' The report claims that one drone type can carry up to 50 kilograms of payload. That would seem like a lot for these types of drones. The report also claims that some of the drones have landed in various parts of Rafah. The report claims 'that a portion of these drones fall in the eastern areas of Rafah, specifically the neighborhoods of al-Shawka, Abu Halawa, Zalata, Sufa, and al-Nasr. These are areas where groups affiliated with Yasser Abu Shabab.' Clearly, the report is trying to portray Shabab, who has been under the spotlight recently in Gaza, as somehow linked to this issue. Recent reports in Israeli media have suggested that Shabab and his men fear reprisals if a ceasefire takes place. He has reportedly been backed by Israel, but it is not clear how much influence or control he has. 'Drones loaded with drugs and contraband fall in the western areas, including the al-Mawasi area, as well as in the eastern areas under the control of the occupation forces and Yasser Abu Shabab's gang,' the source told The New Arab. Clearly, the agenda here is to slander Shabab, more than it is to discuss the drones. THE REPORT goes on to say that smuggling via drones is not that new. It says that it began around the time of the October 7 war in 2023. 'This came after attempts to smuggle across the border, manually or through traditional methods, failed, and were completely exposed to the occupation army as well as to the Egyptian army forces active on the border and in Sinai in general.' The report then goes on to quote a source as saying that the smuggling is linked to larger smuggling networks that link Sinai to the Negev and possibly the West Bank, 'which includes smuggling weapons and drugs to gangs active in Israel.' The smuggling route to Gaza via this method is new, the source told The New Arab. 'He explained that with the closure of the Rafah crossing and the prevention of trucks carrying goods and aid from entering the Gaza Strip, smugglers have resorted to using drones, which are purchased from several sources outside Egypt and delivered to North Sinai, where they are loaded with narcotics such as hashish and Tramadol pills [opioids], and other substances.' The report then goes on to speak to a source who deals in mobile phones. The man told The New Arab that he was able to bring in 'mobile phones via a drone coming from Sinai, after weeks of coordination and waiting. He paid a huge sum of money for the shipment, but he was able to recover this amount due to the exorbitant prices of mobile phones in Gaza.' The report claimed that the drone carried 100 phones. Smuggling network dates back to over 10 years ago A security expert told the report that the smuggling networks in Sinai date back to the period of 2014. There was a war that year, and it should be recalled that the Mohammed Morsi government was overthrown in Egypt in 2013, ending the Muslim Brotherhood's brief rule of Egypt. That was an era of chaos in Sinai when massive smuggling of weapons occurred, fueling violence. 'Some gangs and groups within the Gaza Strip that participated in building smuggling networks through tunnels, especially during the period before 2014, are currently trying to exploit the situation to their advantage,' the report says. The issue of drone smuggling in Gaza is a concern. In April, a report at Israel's N12 indicated Hamas had attempted to get Bedouin in the Sinai to smuggle drones into Gaza. 'The drones are worth only NIS 100,000 to 150,000 each and can carry up to 70 kilogram of cargo,' the Post reported at the time. Solve the daily Crossword
Mid East Info
08-07-2025
- Politics
- Mid East Info
UK Endorses French Boat-Slashing Tactics as Police Inaction Linked to Migrant Death - Middle East Business News and Information
A Syrian man drowned off the coast of northern France while French officers reportedly failed to respond, according to a year-long investigation As the UK publicly backs French police efforts to intercept small boats crossing the Channel — including cutting them to disable passage — new findings suggest such enforcement may come at a fatal cost. An investigation by The New Arab , conducted in partnership with French outlet Disclose , NGO Index , and Italian research body Liminal , has uncovered details surrounding the death of Jumaa al-Hasan, a 27-year-old Syrian man who drowned during the night of 2–3 March 2024 near the northern French coast. Al-Hasan died during an attempted interception by French police. Witness accounts claim officers were stationed nearby on shore and were repeatedly alerted by others on the scene, but made no attempt to intervene. Emergency response was limited, with the fire brigade conducting only a short search following the incident. Using 3D digital reconstruction to analyse the conditions that night, the investigation raises concerns about how Channel crossings are policed and whether sufficient attention is given to the safety of those at sea. It also questions the direction of ongoing official investigations, which appear focused on smuggling networks rather than examining state responsibility. The release of the findings comes as President Emmanuel Macron visits London, and amid UK announcements of closer cooperation with French authorities to block crossings. The approach has drawn criticism from human rights organisations who argue that methods such as slashing boat tubes risk more fatalities. Following the report, the French NGO Utopia56 announced plans to file a formal legal intervention, requesting that courts assess the actions of both police and firefighters involved in the incident as part of the ongoing judicial process. Read the full investigation at:
Iraq Business
04-07-2025
- Business
- Iraq Business
Iraq-Lebanon Oil Link to be Revived?
By Dana Taib Menmy for The New Arab. Any opinions expressed are those of the author(s), and do not necessarily reflect the views of Iraq Business News. Is the revival of the Iraq-Lebanon oil link just a pipe dream? The proposal has been raised multiple times over the past few years in talks between successive Lebanese officials and their Iraqi counterparts. Click here to read the full story.
Iraqi News
19-06-2025
- Politics
- Iraqi News
Nuclear radiation from Iran could reach Baghdad and Sulaymaniyah
Baghdad ( – As tensions between Iran and Israel escalate, Iraq is taking precautions against potential radioactive fallout from strikes on Iran's nuclear facilities. Baghdad, located approximately 933 kilometers from the Fordow nuclear site, and Sulaymaniyah—only 775 kilometers away—could face serious environmental risks if a nuclear catastrophe were to occur. In response, Iraq's nuclear regulatory authority has joined with several Arab nations to establish a unified crisis response unit. A recent virtual meeting, attended by representatives from Jordan, Lebanon, Yemen, Kuwait, Libya, Bahrain, Tunisia, and Sudan, resulted in the decision to create a regional operations center for real-time surveillance and emergency coordination. Experts warn that while the immediate blast zone could reach up to 20 kilometers, radioactive contamination could spread as far as 1,600 kilometers. Given their proximity, Iraq—especially its northern regions—would likely be among the most impacted. According to The New Arab, the destruction of Iran's nuclear infrastructure could surpass the environmental devastation caused by the Chernobyl disaster.
Daily News Egypt
18-06-2025
- Politics
- Daily News Egypt
Israel–Iran conflict deepens as US weighs direct intervention
The conflict between Israel and Iran has entered an unprecedented phase of escalation, with both sides intensifying cross-border strikes and mounting warnings of a wider confrontation that could draw in international actors — including a potential direct military intervention by the United States. According to media reports, US President Donald Trump held an emergency meeting with his national security team in the Situation Room to discuss possible strikes on Iranian nuclear facilities, including the Fordow uranium enrichment plant. Sources told Axios that the White House is seriously considering joining the war effort alongside Israel — a move the government of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is reportedly counting on. In Tehran, Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei declared that the country 'will not surrender' and warned that any US intervention would result in 'irreparable damage.' A senior Iranian official told The New Arab that military operations are being carried out in a 'phased plan' to avoid reactive escalation, emphasising that only a portion of Iran's military capabilities has been deployed so far. He promised 'heavier surprises' as the conflict progresses. On the Israeli side, the military announced that it had struck 40 Iranian targets, including facilities for producing centrifuges, weapons, ballistic missiles, and air defence systems. Israeli Defence Minister Israel Katz claimed the 'headquarters of Iranian internal security' had been destroyed, while the Israeli army confirmed that one of its drones had been downed by a surface-to-air missile inside Iranian territory. Iranian state TV aired footage showing the wreckage of what it said was an Israeli drone of the 'Hormoz' type in the city of Isfahan. The Iranian news agency IRNA also reported that Israeli strikes targeted Red Crescent buildings and residential neighbourhoods near Tehran. In a second televised address, Khamenei praised the Iranian people for their 'maturity and courage' in confronting what he described as a 'malicious and foolish aggression,' stressing that Iran would reject any imposed peace and continue to resist American and Israeli threats. Iran's Civil Aviation Organisation announced a continued closure of the country's airspace until early Thursday, following explosions near Tehran and Karaj. Meanwhile, the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) confirmed that two facilities used for manufacturing centrifuge components — located in Karaj and Tehran — had been hit by Israeli strikes. Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergey Ryabkov warned that direct US military support for Israel could 'radically destabilise the Middle East,' while Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan stated that Iran had the 'legitimate and lawful right' to defend itself against Israeli attacks. He labelled Netanyahu 'the greatest threat to regional security.' In Jerusalem, the US embassy announced that it would remain closed until Friday due to the 'ongoing security situation' and in compliance with directives from the Israeli army. Passport and consular services have been suspended in both Jerusalem and Tel Aviv. The Pentagon, meanwhile, has deployed additional air and missile defence systems to Israel amid concerns that the country's stockpile of 'Arrow' interceptor missiles is running low. The Wall Street Journal reported that the US is aware of this shortfall and is taking urgent steps to bolster Israel's defences. American stockpiles of interceptor missiles are also facing depletion as the conflict intensifies. In Geneva, Iran's Ambassador to the UN, Ali Bahreini, accused Israel of targeting civilian areas 'without warning or distinction.' He condemned the attacks as a violation of international law and blamed the UN Security Council's inaction on 'the obstructive positions of certain member states.' Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmail Baghaei told Al Jazeera that Israel's aggression — allegedly backed by the US — had killed hundreds, damaged hospitals and residential zones, and even targeted nuclear facilities. He warned that 'the international community cannot afford the consequences of a full-blown war,' adding that negotiations with the US had come to a halt as a direct result of Israeli attacks. Israel, for its part, announced plans to continue military operations until it has struck the Fordow nuclear facility. Reuters quoted sources confirming that the White House is reviewing multiple scenarios, including joint strikes on Iran's nuclear infrastructure. On the economic front, insurance premiums for shipping through the Strait of Hormuz have surged by more than 60% since the war began, according to risk consultancy Marsh McLennan, as cited by the Financial Times. The firm stated that insurers are increasingly concerned about potential attacks by Yemen's Houthi rebels and broader threats to shipping in the region. Israel's National Insurance Institute reported that more than 22,000 claims for damages have been filed as a result of Iranian missile attacks, with at least 5,000 people evacuated from their homes in affected areas.
