Egypt: a “flying object” shot down off the coast of Sinai

A “flying object” was shot down off the coast of Egyptian Sinai bordering Israel, Egyptian media close to intelligence services and witnesses reported Tuesday.

“A flying object was shot down two kilometers off the coast of Dahab ,” a seaside town located in Sinai 150 km south of the border with Israel , Al-Qahera News television channel reported .

“We heard the dull sound of an explosion coming from the sea then we saw a strange object falling into the sea ,” one of the witnesses told AFP.

The Sinai desert peninsula is bordered at its northeastern tip by the Gaza Strip and shares its eastern border with Israel.

Egypt , historic mediator between Palestinians and Israelis and which holds the only opening to the world of Gaza which is not in the hands of Israel, finds itself on the front line since the bloody attack by Hamas on Israeli territory on October 7 and the devastating Israeli retaliatory bombings in Gaza.

In mid-December, a drone "of unknown origin" was shot down by the Egyptian air forces off the coast of Dahab, according to a security source.

At the end of October, six people were injured in Egypt after two drones came down in Sinai. Egypt then indicated that they came from "the south of the Red Sea" .

In recent weeks, Yemeni Houthi rebels have increased attacks near the strategic Bab el-Mandeb strait, which separates the Arabian Peninsula from Africa.

Yemeni rebels, backed by Iran , have warned they will target ships sailing in the Red Sea off the coast of Yemen with ties to Israel, in solidarity with Gaza.

Several missiles and drones were shot down by American, French and British warships patrolling the area.

South Africa: 6 dead and 10 missing in floods

Rescue teams in South Africa were searching on Tuesday for the bodies of ten people missing in floods which also left six people dead in the eastern town of Ladysmith, local authorities said.

Torrential rains fell on this town in KwaZulu-Natal province on Sunday evening , washing away vehicles and stranding many residents in their homes.

“For the moment, we have six confirmed deaths and still 10 people missing ,” an official from the provincial authorities told AFP on Tuesday, on condition of anonymity, adding that the search had resumed on Tuesday.

Three victims were found in a minibus which was carrying nine passengers; the other six are still missing, detailed the manager.

A person was found dead in a house destroyed by water . Two other people were inside and have not yet been located.

At least two other residents were discovered dead in their vehicles swept away by the floods .

Further heavy rainfall is expected in KwaZulu-Natal on Tuesday.