Israel ‘concerned’ about Egypt’s military buildup in Sinai, report says

Israel is “concerned” about Egypt’s growing military presence in the Sinai Peninsula, a senior Israeli official told Axios, as tensions between the two countries rise.

The reported buildup has become a major point of contention between Cairo and Tel Aviv in recent months.

After failing to resolve the matter through direct talks with Egyptian officials, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu reportedly asked the Trump administration to intervene, Axios reported on Saturday, citing one US official and two Israeli officials.

During a meeting on Monday, Netanyahu presented US Secretary of State Marco Rubio with a list of activities he claims constitute serious violations of the 1979 Israeli-Egyptian peace treaty.

According to Israeli officials, these violations include the construction of military infrastructure that could be used for offensive operations in areas where only lightly armed forces are permitted under the terms of the treaty.

Read more: Israel ‘concerned’ about Egypt’s military buildup in Sinai, report says