Egypt's Defense Minister Urges Air Defense Forces to Maintain Peak Combat Readiness
Egyptian Defense Minister and Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces Abdel Majeed Saqr called on the country's air defense forces to maintain rigorous training and the highest levels of combat efficiency and operational readiness. He also stressed the importance of enhancing the technical performance of weapons and equipment to ensure maximum effectiveness.
During an iftar gathering with members of the Air Defense Forces on Sunday, Saqr emphasized the need for full preparedness to protect Egypt's airspace against all threats. The event was attended by Chief of Staff Ahmed Khalifa, senior military commanders, and key officials from the armed forces.
According to military spokesman Gharib Abdel Hafez, the defense minister conveyed President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi's appreciation for the unwavering efforts of Egypt's air defense personnel in safeguarding national airspace around the clock.
He reaffirmed the Armed Forces' commitment to continuously supporting the air defense units by equipping them with the latest combat systems to ensure optimal mission execution.
Saqr also reviewed regional developments and their implications for Egypt's national security, underscoring the strategic importance of maintaining a well-prepared and technologically advanced military.
On Saturday, the defense minister shared an iftar meal with troops from the Central Military Zone, Border Guards, Paratroopers, and Special Forces. He highlighted the army's recent advancements in training and armament across all branches, formations, and units.
'Our Armed Forces, equipped with a modernized defense system, are fully capable of securing the country's strategic borders,' Saqr stated. He described national defense as a 'sacred duty' requiring continuous readiness to confront emerging challenges.
He also urged the troops to prioritize ongoing training, maintain high morale, and enhance both their physical and tactical skills, ensuring that the military remains vigilant and prepared to execute any mission under any circumstances.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Saudi Gazette
2 days ago
- Saudi Gazette
Judge halts deportation of Colorado suspect's family
WASHINGTON — A US judge has temporarily halted deportation proceedings against the family of a man accused of Sunday's petrol-bomb attack on Jewish demonstrators in Boulder, Colorado. Mohamed Sabry Soliman, 45, is accused of a federal hate crime and other charges. Officials say his family, who are not charged in the attack, are Egyptian citizens. US District Judge Gordon Gallagher, a Biden appointee, ordered deportation proceedings to be halted, a day after the White House said it had six one-way tickets to deport the wife and five children from the US. The decision was one of three immigration rulings on Wednesday against Trump by federal judges as he seeks to deliver on his pledge for mass deportations. "The court finds that deportation without process could work irreparable harm and an order must issue without notice due to the urgency this situation presents," Judge Gallagher wrote in his order on Wednesday. Lawyers for the defense had accused the government of unfairly targeting the family, who say they were unaware of Soliman's violent plans and have co-operated with investigators."It is patently unlawful to punish individuals for the crimes of their relatives," the family's lawyers said in a lawsuit challenging their immigration detention."Such methods of collective or family punishment violates the very foundations of a democratic justice system."The family members include Soliman's wife, Hayam El Gamal, 41, as well as the couple's 17-year-old daughter, two other daughters and two are being held at an immigration detention centre in Texas, over 900 miles (1,450km) from their home in of Homeland Security officials have said that Mr Soliman arrived in the US on a tourist visa in August 2022. That visa expired the following year. He made an asylum claim in September to police documents, the suspect told officials that he "never talked to his wife or his family" about his plans, and that he had left a phone in a desk drawer with messages to his wife and children. His wife turned the phone in to of Soliman's daughters was recently awarded a scholarship by a local newspaper in Colorado Springs. A profile in the Gazette newspaper noted she "was born in Egypt but lived in Kuwait for 14 years" and relocated to the US two years his arrest, Soliman told police he planned the attack to take place after his daughter's high school graduation, according to the Wednesday, Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem said the agency was "investigating to what extent his family knew about this heinous attack, if they had knowledge of it, or if they provided support to it".The judge's order is the latest setback for the Trump administration on Wednesday, another federal judge ruled that over 100 Venezuelan migrants deported to a jail in El Salvador must be given a chance to challenge their James Boasberg said the US had "plainly deprived" the migrants of their constitutional right to oppose their the ruling does not apply Venezuelan migrant Kilmar Abrego Garcia, a Salvadoran native deported from the US at the same also emerged on Wednesday that the US had flown a Guatemalan man back to the US, after deporting him to Mexico.A federal judge in Boston last month found that prosecutors had incorrectly declared the man was not afraid for his safety in individual, identified in court papers only as OCG, was returned on a commercial flight on Wednesday, according to his lawyers. — BBC
Saudi Gazette
3 days ago
- Saudi Gazette
Chief of General Staff inspects readiness of armed forces participating in Hajj operation
Saudi Gazette report MAKKAH — Saudi Chief of the General Staff Lt. Gen. Fayyadh Al-Ruwaili inspected on Monday the readiness of the Armed Forces units participating in the operation of Hajj 2025. This is in line with the directives of Minister of Defense Prince Khalid bin Salman as part of efforts by security bodies and government agencies to ensure the security and safety of pilgrims. Al-Ruwaili began his field tour by inspecting the Air Forces group at Arafat Airport. He concluded his field tour by reviewing the participating units at the duty force field at Al-Maghmas, where he was briefed on the approved operational and organizational plans to ensure the safety and security of pilgrims during their travels and the performance of their rituals. The Air Force provides advanced air support, including surveillance, reconnaissance, and securing the airspace over the holy sites. The Naval Forces participate in securing seaports, dealing with suspicious materials, and supporting rescue efforts through diving teams, in addition to contributing specialized infantry and drone units. Regarding health services, the Ministry of Defense is implementing an integrated medical plan that includes the operation of 36 health centers with a capacity of more than 1,040 beds, supported by a mission of over 1,790 health and administrative personnel distributed across hospitals and field clinics in the holy sites.
Saudi Gazette
30-05-2025
- Saudi Gazette
New US ceasefire proposal for Gaza falls short of key demands, Hamas says
GAZA — Hamas has said it's reviewing the latest US proposal for a new ceasefire in Gaza and hostage release deal, though reports suggest the Palestinian armed group may reject it. Full details of the agreement have not yet been disclosed, but senior Hamas official Sami Abu Zuhri said the proposal favored the Israeli position and failed to meet any of Hamas' key demands, chiefly a commitment from Israel to end the war, withdraw its forces from Gaza and permit unrestricted aid access to the territory. It comes after the White House said Israel had accepted the proposal. "The Zionist response, in essence, means perpetuating the occupation and continuing the killing and famine," said Bassem Naim, a top Hamas official. He added that the proposed deal "does not respond to any of our people's demands, foremost among which is stopping the war and famine." Nonetheless, he said the group would study the proposal "with all national responsibility." Though US Envoy to the Middle East Steve Witkoff has not publicly disclosed the contents of the ceasefire proposal, a Hamas official and an Egyptian mediator confirmed key elements of the plan. The proposal reportedly includes a 60-day pause in fighting, with guarantees of serious negotiations toward a long-term truce and assurances that Israel will not resume hostilities after hostages are released, as it did following the March ceasefire. Israeli forces would withdraw to the positions they held before that truce collapsed. In return, Hamas would release 10 living hostages and several bodies over the course of the pause, in exchange for more than 1,100 Palestinian prisoners held by Israel, including 100 serving long sentences for deadly attacks. The deal would also allow hundreds of trucks carrying food and humanitarian supplies to enter Gaza daily. Aid groups warn that the nearly three-month Israeli blockade - only slightly eased in recent days - has brought much of Gaza's population to the brink of famine. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has maintained that the war in Gaza will not end until all hostages are freed and Hamas is either dismantled or forced into exile. He has also stated that Israel intends to retain indefinite security control over Gaza and support what he calls the "voluntary emigration" of a significant portion of its population. These plans have been widely condemned by Palestinians and much of the international community, with experts warning that forced displacement would likely violate international law. Hamas, for its part, has insisted it will only release the remaining hostages -- its key source of leverage -- in exchange for a lasting ceasefire, the release of more Palestinian prisoners, and a full Israeli withdrawal from Gaza. The group has also expressed willingness to hand over governance to a committee of politically independent Palestinians tasked with overseeing reconstruction. Meanwhile, Israel has continued its bombardment of the strip overnight, issuing forced displacement orders for five more areas in northern Gaza on Friday morning. Israeli airstrikes on the northern Gaza area of Jabaliya killed at least 12 people, including three women, according to Shifa Hospital, where the bodies were taken. One strike reportedly hit a home, killing six members of the same family, while additional strikes targeted people in the street, the hospital said. Palestinians are also still struggling to access aid, as chaos erupts at food distribution sites amid reports of Israeli smoke bombs and gunfire. Aid distribution hubs set up by the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation are guarded by private security contractors, with Israeli forces positioned nearby. However, the UN and other humanitarian groups have rejected the new system, arguing it is inadequate to meet the needs of Gaza's population and allows Israel to use food as a means of control. — Euronews
