Defense Minister Israel Katz said Thursday he was “declaring war” on weapon smuggling via drones over the Egyptian border, instructing the military to declare a closed military zone in the area and the Shin Bet to define such attempts as terrorism.
In the past year, there have been frequent attempts to bring weapons and drugs over the Egyptian border using drones, the latest on Tuesday.
Katz on Wednesday night held an “emergency meeting” on the drone threat with IDF, police, Shin Bet, and Defense Ministry officials, his office said.
During the meeting, Katz “instructed the IDF to turn the area adjacent to the border into a closed military zone and to adjust the rules of engagement in order to strike any unauthorized party that penetrates into the prohibited area, in order to hit the operators and smugglers of the drones,” according to his office.
As of Thursday morning, the IDF has yet to announce any new closed military zones along Israel’s 200-kilometer-long border with Egypt, or any changes to its rules of engagement in the area.
Get The Times of Israel’s Daily Edition
by email and never miss our top stories
By signing up, you agree to the terms
Katz’s office also said that the Defense Ministry’s Directorate of Defense Research & Development and the Israeli Air Force would develop new “technological solutions” to counter the drone threat, and the National Security Council would assist with changing licensing requirements and legislative amendments regarding the use, purchase, and possession of drones.
Weapons and a drone that were seized by IDF troops following an attempted smuggling on the Egyptian border, August 10, 2025. (Israel Defense Forces)
The defense minister also spoke with Shin Bet chief David Zini on the matter, and it was agreed that the security agency would “define the issue of weapon smuggling threats via drones on the Israel–Egypt border as a terrorist threat,” which would enable security bodies to use “appropriate tools to combat the threat,” Katz’s office said.
“I have convened you here to declare war on drone smuggling on the Israel–Egypt border… the current situation is dangerous to the country’s security and cannot continue,” Katz was quoted as saying by his office.
He said that “deterrence must be created and it must be made clear to those engaged in smuggling that the rules of the game are changing, and they will pay a very heavy price if they do not cease.”
In a separate meeting with military, police and Shin Bet officials on Wednesday, IDF Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Eyal Zamir instructed the military to focus efforts and resources on countering the threat of drones on the Egyptian border.
The meeting, led by the IDF’s Operations Directorate, was part of a “multi-organizational thought process aimed at formulating a comprehensive outlook for dealing with the growing threat,” the military said.
A view of the Israel-Egypt border south of the Nitzana Crossing, January 12, 2025. (Emanuel Fabian/Times of Israel)
In the meeting, according to the IDF, Zamir said that “in his view, the drone threat is not merely a criminal threat but a security threat with terror potential, and emphasized the IDF’s and the defense establishment’s commitment to deepen the operational response while developing new operational capabilities.”
Some of the decisions made during Zamir’s meeting included: establishing a dedicated IDF, police, and Shin Bet task force to counter the drone threat; allocating resources toward long-term force build-up, including the development of new defense technologies; intensifying intelligence-gathering efforts, alongside expanded technological efforts for drone interception, disruption, and detection; and the formation of a new combat unit that will be tasked with handling the smuggling attempts, including under difficult terrain and nighttime conditions.
Weapons and a drone that were seized by IDF troops following a smuggling attempt on the Egyptian border, October 27, 2025. (Israel Defense Forces)
According to military officials, smugglers on the Israeli side of the border usually arrive at locations one to five kilometers (half a mile to three miles) from the fence, then fly drones over the border to Egypt and land them one to three kilometers from the fence. There, smugglers on the Egyptian side load the drones with contraband, often firearms, and the smugglers on the Israeli side pilot the drones back to them.
Read more: On Egypt border, senior IDF officer warns quietest ‘front’ has potential to erupt
To prevent drones from being flown over the border, troops are allowed to open fire on them in an attempt to knock them out of the sky. Additionally, the Israel Defense Forces has deployed electronic warfare capabilities that can jam or take control of the drones and bring them down.
The IDF has reported foiling dozens of smuggling attempts using drones on the Egyptian border in the past year. It remains unclear how many the military is failing to thwart.
Watch DocuNation Season 3: The Heart of Israel
when you join the ToI Community
Support The Times of Israel’s independent journalism and receive access to our documentary series, DocuNation: The Heart of Israel.
In this season of DocuNation, you can stream eight outstanding Israeli documentaries with English subtitles and then join a live online discussion with the filmmakers. The selected films show Israel beyond the conflict: a place of storytellers and musicians, of dreamers, makers, and communities rooted in meaning and trust.
When you watch DocuNation, you’re also supporting Israeli creators at a time when it’s increasingly difficult for them to share their work globally.
To learn more about DocuNation: The Heart of Israel, click here.
Support ToI and get DocuNation
Support ToI and get DocuNation
Already a member? Sign in to stop seeing this
You appreciate our journalism
You clearly find our careful reporting valuable, in a time when facts are often distorted and news coverage often lacks context.
Your support is essential to continue our work. We want to continue delivering the professional journalism you value, even as the demands on our newsroom have grown dramatically since October 7.
So today, please consider joining our reader support group, The Times of Israel Community. For as little as $6 a month you’ll become our partners while enjoying The Times of Israel AD-FREE, as well as accessing exclusive content available only to Times of Israel Community members.
Thank you,
David Horovitz, Founding Editor of The Times of Israel