Two developments recently circulated in the media have raised serious questions about Egypt’s role in the ongoing war led by the United States and Israel against Iran since February 28. These reports suggest that Egypt has provided logistical and military facilitation to the Israeli occupation, a position observers view as contradicting President Abdel Fattah el Sisi’s repeated declarations of neutrality, despite the war’s significant repercussions on Egypt and the Gulf region.
The first development concerns Arkia, Israel’s second largest airline, which reportedly relocated part of its operations to the Egyptian city of Taba and the Jordanian city of Aqaba. This move followed disruptions at Ben Gurion Airport due to Iranian strikes on critical infrastructure. The airline has been transporting passengers by bus across the Egyptian border to Taba Airport in Sinai, from where international flights continue.
A statement from the US Embassy in Israel confirmed that Egypt has provided extensive facilitation for Israeli travellers through the Taba crossing and the airports of Taba and Sharm el Sheikh. Travellers are reportedly able to obtain a 30 day entry visa upon arrival in Taba for a fee of 30 dollars, or receive a free entry stamp that allows movement within South Sinai only.
Military Cargo Rerouted to Egyptian Ports
The second development was reported by the Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions movement, which revealed that a vessel carrying military grade steel intended to support Israeli war industries had included Egypt’s Abu Qir port in its route. This occurred after the ship reportedly faced obstacles docking in Spain, Italy, Greece, and Türkiye due to public protests.
According to the statement, vessels operated by the Swiss shipping company MSC are transporting steel shipments to Israeli defence manufacturers Elbit Systems and IMI Systems in Ramat Hasharon. These shipments are linked to the production of artillery ammunition. Data cited by the movement indicated that two vessels were carrying steel from the Indian company R L Steels and Energy Limited to support Israeli military production.
Between March 20 and 21, the vessels reportedly altered their routes to avoid anticipated protests. One vessel, MSC Vega, headed toward Italy, while MSC Danit was redirected toward Abu Qir port in Alexandria, where it was expected to arrive on the morning of March 23.
The movement stated that MSC vessels were transporting 23 containers carrying approximately 600 tonnes of military steel from India to Israel. This quantity is reportedly sufficient to produce around 13,000 artillery shells of 155 millimetres, which can be fitted with various types of warheads, including conventional explosives, cluster munitions, and white phosphorus.
BDS called on the Egyptian public to pressure authorities to prevent MSC Danit, a Panama flagged vessel, from using Egyptian ports to facilitate the transfer of military materials to Israel. The statement highlighted the role of activist pressure in European countries and Türkiye in blocking such shipments and forcing rerouting.
According to MarineTraffic data, MSC Danit departed from the Indian port of Vizhinjam on February 17 and arrived at Abu Qir port on March 24, after a three day stop in the Portuguese port of Sines. Data also confirmed that the vessel remained docked at Abu Qir until Thursday afternoon at the time of reporting.
Previous Incidents and Expanding Patterns
These developments are not isolated. During the Israeli war on Gaza from October 7, 2023 to October 2024, reports revealed that Egyptian ports had received military shipments rejected by European ports.
In February 2024, the Egyptian flagged container ship PAN GG conducted 25 consecutive voyages over one year between Port Said and Dekheila in Alexandria to the Israeli port of Ashdod during the Al Aqsa Flood war.
In October 2024, the vessel MV Kathrin docked in Alexandria after being denied entry by Malta, Namibia, and Angola. It was carrying 150,000 kilograms of RDX explosives destined for Elbit Systems, to be used in manufacturing bombs, mortars, and rockets for operations in Gaza and Lebanon.
On December 22, 2025, the cargo ship Holger G docked in Port Said after being rejected by multiple countries. It was carrying 440 tonnes of military equipment, mortar components, and steel from India to Haifa, intended for transfer to Elbit Systems, one of the largest suppliers to the Israeli military.
Additionally, the Hebrew website port2port reported in May 2024 that Medkon Lines had established two shipping routes, one linking the Italian port of Ravenna with Alexandria and the Israeli ports of Ashdod and Haifa, and another connecting Egyptian ports directly with Israeli ports.
These activities come as Egypt’s economy suffers significant losses due to the war involving Israel and the United States against Iran. The country has faced declining revenues from the Suez Canal and tourism, alongside capital outflows estimated at 6.7 billion dollars from its debt market. The local currency has also depreciated from around 47 Egyptian pounds per dollar to over 52.
Silent Actor in a Logistics Driven War
Commenting on whether the docking of military bound vessels and the passage of US warships through the Suez Canal constitutes participation in the war, international relations researcher Dr Mohamed al Sawy stated that not all countries that refrain from firing weapons are neutral, as some merely open the الطريق for war.
He explained that in modern warfare, conflicts are no longer confined to battlefields but are also shaped through logistical corridors. A state’s role is measured not only by its military actions but also by what it allows to pass through its ports and waterways. In this context, Egypt emerges not as a direct combatant but as a silent actor within the structure of the conflict.
Egypt’s ports and the Suez Canal represent one of the world’s most critical strategic arteries. According to the US Energy Information Administration, approximately 10 to 12 percent of global trade passes through these routes, including oil and dual use materials. This makes any shipment passing through Egypt a geopolitical event rather than a routine commercial transaction.
Functional Neutrality and Global Patterns
Al Sawy described Egypt’s position as part of a broader global pattern he termed “functional neutrality.” During the 2014 Gaza war and again during the 2023 to 2025 conflict, Egyptian ports and the canal remained open, allowing the continued flow of maritime traffic, including supply chains involving sensitive materials.
He noted that modern military operations increasingly rely on complex global logistics networks involving dual use goods transported عبر civilian routes. Western analyses have pointed to the growing importance of corridors such as the Suez Canal in sustaining defence industries.
He compared Egypt’s position to Türkiye’s management of the Bosphorus and Dardanelles during the Russia Ukraine war, where selective enforcement of the Montreux Convention allowed balance between legal obligations and strategic interests. Similarly, Singapore manages the Strait of Malacca under strict commercial neutrality, permitting open passage while monitoring military related activity.
These examples demonstrate that Egypt’s actions are not exceptional but align with a global model where states do not directly engage in warfare yet do not obstruct resource flows linked to it. Maritime routes have thus evolved into instruments of conflict management, where influence is measured not only by force but by facilitation.
The Cost of Neutrality
However, this model carries consequences. Egypt maintains a strategic partnership with Washington, supported by documented military and economic assistance, while also coordinating with Israel on sensitive security matters related to Sinai and Gaza. These dynamics make the facilitation of passage a calculated political decision rather than a purely technical process.
As tensions escalate and the possibility of broader confrontation between Iran and the United States increases, maritime corridors may shift from tools of neutrality to points of alignment. The key question is no longer who is fighting, but who enables the continuation of war.
Sovereign Decisions and Political Accountability
Egyptian journalist Naji Abbas, editor in chief of the International Investigative Centre, argued that Egypt has effectively become an indirect partner in the war. He stated that military shipments rejected by European and regional ports have consistently found access through Egyptian harbours under sovereign political directives since October 2023.
He noted that MSC Danit alone carried 15 containers with 390 tonnes of military steel, enough to produce approximately 8,500 artillery shells according to military estimates.
These developments raise a deeper question about the definition of participation in modern warfare. When ports and maritime corridors become logistical lifelines for military operations, allowing passage may constitute a form of involvement. In a world where wars are increasingly managed through supply routes, neutrality may no longer be defined by silence or the absence of direct engagement.
