Israel's military is operating in the Sinai Peninsula – and with Egypt's blessing, says a senior Egyptian official and former parliamentarian.
According to a report in Bloomberg, Mohamed Kamal, who previously served in the upper chamber of the Egyptian parliament, claims Israel and Egypt are cooperating in the war on terrorism, working together closely to defeat the ISIS terror organization in the Sinai.
"There is definitely a high level of cooperation that could be unprecedented, especially in the field of combating terrorism," Kamal told Bloomberg.
The report noted that Egyptian President A-Sisi has aggressively fought Islamic terrorists inside Egypt – including in the Sinai, where treaty limitations restrict Egyptian military deployments.
Kamal's comments appear to validate claims by IDF Deputy Chief of Staff Yair Golan, who suggested Israel and Egypt were closer than ever before, sharing intelligence information and effectively operating in tandem in the Sinai.
"The level of cooperation is something we've never experience before. It's not about love, its not about common values. I wouldn't describe it as the relationship we have with the United States of America, but I think it's a good starting point."
A senior Israeli official speaking on condition of anonymity said Israel was operating armed airborne drones in the Sinai, with the full support of Egypt.