80th Division commander Itamar Ben-Haim, addressed reports of arming and strengthening of the Egyptian army at the border with Israel, and said that the IDF is not preparing for a scenario of an Egyptian attack at this stage.
Speaking to residents of southern Israel, he commented, "We are not preparing for it, because we do not think it is a scenario that currently exists in the immediate timeframe," Ben-Haim said.
According to Yediot Aharonot, when one of the attendees at the meeting compared the situation to the concept that led to the failure on October 7, the officer responded that the peace agreement with Egypt must be taken into account. "In the end, we do what we can. The IDF still needs more forces in Judea and Samaria, in Lebanon, in Gaza, and in Jordan, and in the end we prepare against what we assess," he explained.
Ben-Haim emphasized that the IDF is monitoring developments, but at this stage does not see an Egyptian attack as a realistic scenario in the coming years. "If such a decision is made – we will know how to prepare for it," he said.