Egyptian war game in Sinai practices rebuffing “Israeli attack”

debkafile‘s military sources report that the Egyptian 2nd Army’s mechanized division carried out a 10-day military exercise in Sinai dubbed “Bedouin 3.” Infantry, armored and artillery units took part as well as F-16 fighter-bombers, Mirage 5E2 fighters and Apache assault helicopters, using live ammunition.
Their scenario hinged on a mock hostile Israeli invasion of Sinai aiming for the Suez Canal. The Egyptian units ranged in an east-to-west line across the mountainous Jebal Libni of central Sinai south of El Arish to cut off the “Israeli advance.”
The game ended Wednesday, Feb. 18, with high praise from its commanders. They found that in a two-day engagement, the Egyptian forces had forced the “Israeli attackers” to retreat behind the international border to the Negev, displaying greater mobility, flexibility and speed than in previous exercises.
The Egyptian-Israeli peace treaty permits Cairo to maintain a single army division in demilitarized Sinai.

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