Israel’s outgoing Herzi Halevi, Chief of the General Staff of the Israel Defense Forces, expressed concerns about what he described as a potential security threat from Egypt.
Halevi indicated that military developments in the region, including Egyptian armament, are causing concern for Israel. He announced this during a speech to a group of graduating officers, where he stressed that Egypt does not pose an immediate threat to Israel at the moment, but warned that this situation could change at any moment.
These statements come amid the international ranking of world armies according to the Global Firepower website, which placed Egypt 19th globally, while Israel came in 15th place.
According to Global Firepower data, the Egyptian army has 440,000 active soldiers, in addition to 480,000 soldiers in the reserve forces. Egypt possesses 1,093 warplanes, including 238 fighter jets, 90 attack aircraft, 348 helicopters, and 345 training aircraft.
On the ground forces level, the Egyptian army has 3,620 tanks, 2,500 artillery pieces, and about 41,000 military vehicles. As for the naval fleet, it consists of 150 naval vessels, including 8 submarines, 62 patrol boats, 13 frigates, and 17 specialized mine-countermeasure vessels.
The Israeli army consists of 173,000 active duty soldiers, and about 465,000 reserve soldiers. The number of those eligible for military service is about 1.7 million people.
Israel possesses 595 multi-role warplanes, including 241 fighter jets and 23 attack aircraft, along with 128 military helicopters, and aircraft for special missions and military cargo.
The Israeli Air Force is considered one of the most advanced air forces in the world thanks to its high-tech capabilities.
Israel has 42 military airfields in service.
It possesses squadrons of F-35, F-16, and F-15 aircraft, and a huge number of smart bombs and remote sensors. Israel also possesses a squadron of attack drones.
These forces have 1,650 tanks, including 500 Merkava tanks that contain an active protection system, which intercepts anti-tank missiles before they arrive, and has the ability to fire at moving targets, and is described as one of the most fortified tanks in the world. Israel possesses 7,500 armored fighting vehicles.
As for the artillery, its strength is about a thousand vehicles, including 650 self-propelled guns, along with 300 field artillery pieces.
The Israeli Navy consists of 65 vessels, including 48 warships, 6 submarines, and 7 corvettes.
Israel possesses missile-equipped warships that are described as advanced and highly technologically efficient.
Israel is considered the fifth nuclear power in the world, as it possesses nuclear warheads that can be launched to distances of 1,500 kilometers using its Jericho missiles, in addition to nuclear bombs that can be dropped from the air. However, Israel does not acknowledge possessing nuclear weapons.
This is not the first time an Israeli official has expressed Israel’s concerns about Egyptian armament. Last January, Israel’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations, Danny Danon, expressed concern about Egyptian military developments, asking, “Why do the Egyptians need all these submarines and tanks?”
In response to these statements, the Egyptian Permanent Representative to the United Nations, Osama Abdel Khalek, stressed that Egypt is committed to peace as a strategic option, but at the same time is capable of defending its national security. Abdel Khalek said: “Strong and large countries like Egypt require strong armies capable of defending national security in its comprehensive dimensions through sufficient and diverse armament.”
The Egyptian ambassador pointed out that Egypt was one of the first countries to lay the foundations of peace in the Middle East, stressing that Egyptian armament aims to maintain security and stability in the region.
