There Is Drone Smuggling, Defense Minister Katz Wants The Egyptian-Israeli Border To Become A Closed Military Zone

Israeli Defense Minister Katz. (Elad Malka/Defense Ministry)

JAKARTA - Israeli Defense Minister Katz said it had instructed Israel Defense Forces (IDF) to declare Israel-Egypt border areas a closed military zone and adjust firing rules, given the continued threat of drones in the region.

The IDF has not announced a new closed military zone along the 200-kilometer Israel-Egypt border.

In the past year, there have been attempts to smuggle weapons and drugs through the Egyptian border using drones, reported The Times of Israel November 6.

Yesterday, IDF Chief of Staff Lieutenant General Eyal Zamir instructed the military to focus their efforts and resources on countering the threat.

Defense Minister Katz also held a meeting yesterday with IDF officials, police, and Shin Bet regarding this matter.

During the meeting, Katz "instructed the IDF to turn areas adjacent to the border into closed military zones and adjust engagement rules in order to attack unauthorized parties entering the restricted area, to attack drone operators and smugglers," according to his office.

The Office of Defense Minister Katz also stated that the Directorate of Defense Research & Development of the Israeli Ministry of Defense and Air Force will develop a new "tech solution" to counter drone threats, and the National Security Council will help change licensing requirements and legislative amendments related to drone use, purchase and ownership.

The Defense Minister also spoke with the Head of the Shin Bet, David Zini, on the matter, and it was agreed that the security agency would "define the issue of the threat of smuggling weapons through drones on the Israel-Egyptian border as a terrorist threat," which would allow security agencies to use "the right tools to combat the threat," Defense Minister Katz's office said.