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Egypt violates Israel treaty; Intense fighting in Kursk Oblast

Egypt violates Israel treaty; Intense fighting in Kursk Oblast

Tech spotlight: Multi-Domain Artillery Cannon

10 Jan • Estimated read time: 5 minutes

THE WAR NEWSLETTER — JAN 10 2025

Today’s email brings you news from Egypt and Ukraine.

1 - EGYPT

1 thing to know

Egypt increased military activity in the Sinai peninsula, violating its peace treaty with Israel.

The context

There has been a peace treaty between Israel and Egypt since 1979. the 1970s, when Egypt attacked Israel gave the entirety of the Sinai peninsula to Egypt, and the treaty included demilitarization of the Sinai.

Israel detected blatant violations of the peace treaty recently as Egypt built anti-tank obstacles and the deployment of armored divisions into the Sinai.

Israel has previously allowed significant Egyptian military buildup for the purpose of fighting ISIS in the Sinai peninsula.

More from the region

Egypt has been investing heavily in military infrastructure, building roads and bridges throughout the Sinai, investing in tank transporters, in obvious military preparation. The Egyptian military has been heavily boosted by US aid, and appears to train its military for scenarios involving the invasion of Israel.
To make things worse, in December the Biden administration approved a $4.6 billion weapons sale to Egypt. The weapons provided included more than 500 M1 Abrams tanks and hundreds of millions of dollars of precision missiles.

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TECH SPOTLIGHT: MULTI-DOMAIN ARTILLERY CANNON

The Multi-Domain Artillery Cannon (MDAC) is a next-generation US Army weapon system being developed by BAE Systems, designed to defend against aerial threats like drones, cruise missiles, and aircraft.

It features a 155 mm self-propelled artillery unit equipped with hypersonic projectiles capable of reaching Mach 5 speeds and a range of up to 80 kilometers. The system integrates with existing air defense networks, using multi-function radars and battle management systems for precise targeting.

What it’s used for

The MDAC is designed primarily for base defense, protecting stationary and semi-stationary positions from aerial threats like drones, cruise missiles, aircraft, and helicopters. Its hypersonic projectiles enable it to intercept high-speed targets at long ranges. It will undergo operational testing in 2028, with initial funding of $67 million allocated for development.

2 - UKRAINE

1 thing to know

Fighting has intensified in Russia's Kursk Oblast as Ukrainian soldiers have launched new attacks on Russian and North Korean positions.

The context

Ukrainian forces currently holding position in Kursk Oblast renewed the offensive on January 5, targeting strategic locations and gaining progress in southern Berydn and central Porechny and Novosotnytsky. Reports indicate that Ukraine advanced at least 1.7 miles further into Russian territory so far.

Russia has also increased its counteroffensives, utilizing North Korean troops, but Ukraine has largely held its position. The latest Russian attack was repelled, and utilized trucks and armored vehicles. Current reports indicate that Russia lost an entire company in the attack.