On Sunday, the IDF said it intercepted a drone carrying illegal weapons across the Egyptian border. But the seizures are only a fraction of the activity. Internal figures show that between July 16 and August 25 alone, there were 384 drone crossings into Israel in the Paran Brigade sector, which oversees the western Negev and the Egyptian border. In the same period, troops recorded 248 sightings of smugglers on the Egyptian side and 254 on the Israeli side.
A drone crosses from Sinai into Israeli territory
A military official said most smuggling involves goods such as cigarettes and drugs, but a significant number of drones carry weapons. Photos released after Sunday’s interception showed improvised arms and other equipment, suggesting that dozens of weapons are trafficked each month.
The Knesset’s Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee will convene an emergency session on October 15, immediately after the Sukkot holiday, to discuss the surge in drone smuggling from Egypt into Israel. The meeting was called by MK Tzvi Sukkot, who warned that dozens of drones have been crossing the border for months, flying over communities in the Ramat Negev region.
“The army sits on the fence, the enemy looks for solutions and finds them through drones,” Sukkot said, urging authorities to “declare war on these smuggling operations” and bring together the Shin Bet, police and military to dismantle the supply chains.
In response, the IDF said it is aware of the phenomenon and is working with the police to counter it. “The army is closely monitoring the smuggling via drones through surveillance, intelligence and operational measures. A staff effort is underway to improve the operational response,” the military said.
National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir also sounded the alarm, sending a letter to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu accusing the National Security Council of “falling asleep at the wheel.” He called the drone incursions a “ticking time bomb” and demanded the immediate transfer of budgeted funds to the police, warning that the smuggling threatens both mass-casualty attacks and the strengthening of crime and terror groups inside Israel.
Residents describe the skies over their communities as lawless. “Dozens of drones cross every day,” said Yotam Bar of Be’er Milka in the Ramat Negev region. “This has become an open channel for smugglers. It can carry anything — guns, rifles, ammunition, even machine guns. They do whatever they want in the skies. It’s terrifying.”
Bar warned that drones could also be used for surveillance or even as explosive devices. “They can track where the emergency squads live, film everything, and then be weaponized. This is not crime, it’s a national security issue. The weapons can be in central Israel within an hour. The technology is just a symptom of the fact that the border is not respected.”
Another resident, who asked not to be named, described drones flying overhead for hours at a time. “It’s as if there’s no country here,” he said. “We’ve caught weapons, grenades, machine guns, and huge amounts of drugs. Everyone sees it, and yet it doesn’t stop. The state’s attention is on Gaza and Lebanon, while on the Egyptian border, it feels like there is no state at all.”
Ramat Negev regional council head Eran Doron called the situation “a strategic threat to Israel.” He warned that much of the smuggled weaponry ends up in the hands of criminal and terrorist groups. “In the end, this will harm innocent civilians. Just as Qatari money fueled Hamas’ buildup, we must understand that these weapons are strengthening crime and terror organizations.”