The Egyptian armed forces continued on Saturday their “Hasm 2020” (Decisive 2020) drill near the western border with Libya.
“This exercise is taking place on the western strategic border, given the severe and rapid changes the region is going through,” said a statement from the military.
The exercise was kicked off on Friday in the presence of Army Chief of Staff Mohamed Farid.
The second day began with concentrated airstrikes through a number of aircraft against enemy command centers, along with aerial landings to secure the coast.
Naval units carried out a number of exercises, including live fire with naval artillery and countering hostile submarines with depth charges that accurately hit their targets. They also launched several missiles from destroyers and submarines, while aircraft carried out concentrated strikes on hostile surface targets on the coast.
Last month, Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi said his country has international right to intervene in the Libyan crisis, citing the need to protect its porous border as grounds for “direct intervention” in the neighboring country.
He added that the cities of Sirte and al-Jufra were “red lines” for Egypt that the Tripoli-based Government of National Accord must not cross.
