Israeli media reported that Egypt has deployed Patton and Abrams tanks in central Sinai, indicating an unprecedented Egyptian military buildup near the border.
These outlets quoted Israeli sources as saying that Tel Aviv had issued an official warning to the Egyptian government in Cairo regarding this large and ongoing military buildup in the Sinai Peninsula.
Israeli sources considered this buildup a violation of the historic peace agreement between Egypt and Israel signed in 1979, which followed the Camp David Accords of 1978.
According to the Israeli news website "nziv," the treaty stipulates that the Sinai Peninsula must remain demilitarized. However, the Egyptian army has amassed a large number of soldiers and armored vehicles in the Sinai Desert, which Israel considers unacceptable.
The report indicated that Egyptian forces deployed older M60 Patton main battle tanks, manufactured in the United States. It added that these forces were specifically sent to areas such as the Rafah crossing with Gaza, in response to Cairo's concerns about Israeli attempts to force large numbers of Palestinians from Gaza into Egyptian territory.
Meanwhile, Israel observed the movement of Patton tanks toward what was designated "Zone A" under the 1979 peace agreement, the area closest to the Suez Canal. The report claimed that the number of tanks deployed there far exceeded the permitted limit of 230 tanks in that area, angering Israel.
Israel's concerns were not limited to Patton tanks alone. Modern M1A1 Abrams tanks also began arriving in the area, with Abrams tanks spotted moving toward assembly points in central Sinai and near the Rafah border crossing.
The M60A3 Patton tank is a relic of the Cold War, and Egypt has integrated it into its armed forces as a system that operates alongside newer American models such as the M1A1 Abrams. Developed by the US Army in the 1950s and modernized during the 1970s, the M60A3 entered service in 1978. It is equipped with advanced fire control systems, a thermal range finder, and a 105mm main gun capable of firing various types of shells, including armor-piercing rounds.
Egypt has received hundreds of these tanks through US military aid since the 1980s, with the number reaching approximately 1,000 M60 series tanks in the first decade of the 21st century.
The M1A1 Abrams tank was supplied to Egypt's armed forces through a co-production agreement and has become a cornerstone of the Egyptian military. Developed in the 1980s by General Dynamics, this tank features a 120mm main gun, advanced composite armor, and a fire-control system with thermal imaging.
Egypt began assembling these tanks in the 1990s at a factory near Cairo, and by 2025, it had received more than 1,300 of them, ready to operate in harsh desert conditions. The M1A1 Abrams tank is powered by a 1,500-horsepower Honeywell AGT1500 gas turbine engine, giving it a top speed of 68 km/h on paved roads. Its composite armor, with reactive upgrades, provides robust protection against most anti-armor threats, while its main gun can fire advanced munitions such as the M829 APFSDS, capable of penetrating thick armor.
The Egyptian version of this tank is considered less advanced than the original American version, lacking many classified systems. However, it is a highly effective combat system, specially modified for desert combat conditions, making it particularly suitable for operations in the Sinai Peninsula.
The Hebrew website stated that although the Israeli army possesses lethal capabilities in the event of a conflict with Egypt, current indications point to Egypt adopting an advanced defensive rather than an offensive stance. It added: "Cairo does not appear to be interested in invading Gaza or entering into a conflict with Israel, but the presence of these tanks is in fact a show of force aimed at preventing the influx of Palestinian refugees into Egyptian territory. The motivation behind this is the fear that these refugees will not be allowed to return, and thus Egypt will bear responsibility for them for decades, as is the case in other countries hosting Palestinian refugees."
The Hebrew website's report indicated that it is clear that the situation in the region is rapidly deteriorating. While Israel seeks to confront Hamas in Gaza, Fatah in the West Bank, Hezbollah in Lebanon, and Iran, regional powers such as Egypt and Turkey oppose Israeli moves, complicating these efforts and weakening Israel's overall security situation in the region.