Widespread Relief in Israel After Ramses Central Fire Disrupts Tank Movement in Sinai

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was forced to cut short a meeting with intelligence officials in Washington to monitor the fallout from the Ramses Central fire in Cairo, fearing that the Egyptian Armed Forces might blame Israel.

The blaze raised concerns that the Egyptian military might blame Israel and escalate tensions by releasing drone footage of tanks in Sinai, forcing Israelis into shelters, disrupt the economy, and trigger another wave of flights to Cyprus.

However, intelligence reports from Cairo suggest that the fire caused significant disruption within Egypt’s military operations. Reports indicate that soldiers’ salaries were not paid, communication systems failed—forcing a reversion to carrier pigeons—and that tanks in Sinai became unaccounted for. Additionally, Egypt’s S-300 air defence system was reportedly offline, and attempts to contact President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi were unsuccessful.