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LNA Downs Six Turkish Drones

A Libyan family inspects the effects of the damage to their home during the bombing of areas south of Tripoli, Libya (AFP)
A Libyan family inspects the effects of the damage to their home during the bombing of areas south of Tripoli, Libya (AFP)
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LNA Downs Six Turkish Drones

A Libyan family inspects the effects of the damage to their home during the bombing of areas south of Tripoli, Libya (AFP)
A Libyan family inspects the effects of the damage to their home during the bombing of areas south of Tripoli, Libya (AFP)

The Libyan National Army (LNA), commanded by Field Marshal Khalifa Haftar, reported that it had downed six Turkish drones belonging to the Government of National Accord (GNA) forces in three days. By far, this constituted the largest attack against Tripoli’s airspace since LNA forces took over in April 2019.

The total number of drones downed since February 27 sits at 6.

Commander of LNA’s western military operations room, Maj. Gen. al-Mabrouk al-Ghazwi confirmed the downing of a Turkish drone south of Tripoli after it took off from “Turkish base in Mitiga,” saying it was a violation of the ceasefire declared in the region. Ghazwi then said that the number of downed drones had reached 6.

LNA spokesman Maj. Gen. Ahmed al-Mismari quoted Ghazwi as confirming his units’ readiness to deal with any threat that puts the security and safety of the capital and forces at risk.

“The Turkish drones tried to launch a major air operation against the army forces and aim at more civilian targets,” Ghazwi added in a press statement on Saturday.

He indicated that the army air defense forces “are still conducting radar reconnaissance operations in order to hunt any enemy drones in the military operations zone in western Libya.”

The LNA is carrying out a heavy push on GNA and Turkish forces, especially around Mitiga airport.

More than 60 Grad rockets had landed on the airport.

Meanwhile, the UN Support Mission in Libya (UNSMIL) strongly condemned the continuing violations of the Tripoli truce, which had been declared on 12 January.

UNSMIL was particularly irked by the recent repeated bombings over the last three days of Mitiga airport, the capital’s only functioning airport.

UNSMIL said that Mitiga is a vital and important outlet for thousands of Libyans in the greater Tripoli area. It is also a vital entry and exit point for all international diplomats, NGOs, and UN agencies.

The truce violations are particularly embarrassing for the UNSMIL as they come about as it is amid brokering its beleaguered ‘‘political track’’ Libya talks in Geneva.

In its condemnation statement, UNSMIL said that these truce violations come as Libyans and the UN are working hard across the three tracks to end the fighting, find final solutions to the Libyan crisis, and end the suffering of the Libyan people.

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Arab World

Egypt Banks on Domestic Defense Manufacturing to Curb Military Spending

A military vehicle manufactured in Egypt. (Egyptian Ministry of Military Production)
A military vehicle manufactured in Egypt. (Egyptian Ministry of Military Production)
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Egypt Banks on Domestic Defense Manufacturing to Curb Military Spending

A military vehicle manufactured in Egypt. (Egyptian Ministry of Military Production)
A military vehicle manufactured in Egypt. (Egyptian Ministry of Military Production)

Egypt is increasingly relying on domestic defense manufacturing to curb military spending, expanding local production of armored vehicles, drones and air defense systems while continuing to diversify its foreign arms suppliers and pursue joint-production partnerships with other countries.

The strategy comes as the country posted the lowest military spending among Arab states last year, with defense expenditure accounting for 0.61% of gross domestic product, according to figures released by the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI).

Military experts told Asharq Al-Awsat that local arms production helps ease pressure on foreign-currency reserves required for imports while ensuring a more secure supply chain. They explained that modern warfare is characterized by the heavy consumption of weapons and ammunition, making uninterrupted access to military supplies a strategic necessity.

Egypt’s armed forces have pursued a comprehensive modernization program in recent years, including diversifying sources of weaponry and forging partnerships with major defense-producing countries, according to Egypt’s State Information Service.

The government is also pushing to expand reliance on locally manufactured defense products.

Minister of State for Military Production Salah Mostafa Gomblat said the current phase focuses on localizing advanced industrial technologies to improve production efficiency and enhance the competitiveness of Egyptian-made products.

He added that the strategy includes forging new partnerships with the private sector to reduce import costs and support the national economy.

According to SIPRI, Egypt recorded the lowest military spending among Arab countries in 2025 even as global military expenditure rose 2.9% from the previous year to $2.887 trillion. Algeria recorded the highest military-spending among Arab countries, at 8.83% of GDP.

Egypt has recently showcased a range of domestically produced defense systems, including armored vehicles, drones and air defense platforms displayed at the EDEX 2025 defense exhibition held in Cairo last December.

Among the systems highlighted were the Raad 300, a multiple-caliber guided rocket launcher capable of striking targets at ranges of up to 300 kilometers, and the Jabbar 150 unmanned aerial vehicle, which Egyptian officials describe as possessing advanced offensive capabilities.

The unveiling of the Jabbar 150 attracted attention in Israel. In a report published on June 8, Israeli website Natziv.net said Israeli security agencies were monitoring advances in Egyptian military technology and assessing their strategic implications.

Major General Nasr Salem, a military analyst, noted that Egypt’s drive to deepen domestic weapons production is intended both to secure military supply lines and reduce the cost of importing arms.

“Part of Egypt’s strategy to diversify its sources of armaments is based on localizing military industries,” Salem told Asharq Al-Awsat.

He stressed that the prolonged nature of modern conflicts requires armies to maintain a continuous flow of weapons and ammunition, adding that some military estimates suggest the cost of a single day of combat can equal a year’s defense procurement budget for some armed forces.

“For that reason, the best option for countries is to manufacture their own weapons,” he said.

Salem cautioned, however, that building a domestic defense industry is itself costly and requires access to advanced technologies capable of competing with foreign systems.

He added that local production offers another advantage: the ability to design weapons tailored to a country’s operational environment and the needs of its armed forces.

Major General Samir Ragab said expanding local defense production also helps reduce pressure on foreign-currency resources.

“No country in the world can achieve complete self-sufficiency in armaments,” Ragab told Asharq Al-Awsat, noting that certain categories of advanced weapons will continue to be imported from countries with more sophisticated defense-industrial capabilities.

Nevertheless, he said, a strong domestic defense-industrial base enhances the Egyptian military’s capabilities and provides Cairo with greater flexibility to develop weapons systems suited to its own requirements.

Arab World

Israeli Military Warns of Imminent Strikes on South Lebanon

Smoke billows from southern Lebanon following an Israeli strike, as seen from Marjeyoun, Lebanon, June 12, 2026. (Reuters)
Smoke billows from southern Lebanon following an Israeli strike, as seen from Marjeyoun, Lebanon, June 12, 2026. (Reuters)
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Israeli Military Warns of Imminent Strikes on South Lebanon

Smoke billows from southern Lebanon following an Israeli strike, as seen from Marjeyoun, Lebanon, June 12, 2026. (Reuters)
Smoke billows from southern Lebanon following an Israeli strike, as seen from Marjeyoun, Lebanon, June 12, 2026. (Reuters)

The Israeli military on Saturday warned of imminent strikes on south Lebanon, telling residents of 20 towns and villages including many near Nabatieh city to evacuate despite a ceasefire in its war with Lebanese militant group Hezbollah, according to AFP.

"For your safety, you should evacuate your homes immediately and move to the north of the Zahrani River," the military's Arabic-language spokesman Avichay Adraee said in a post on X.

"Anyone who is in the vicinity of Hezbollah installations or means of warfare is endangering their lives," he added, accusing the movement of violating the truce.

Arab World

Sharaa: Syria Seeks to Stop Lebanon War, Not Join It

Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa (SANA)
Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa (SANA)
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Sharaa: Syria Seeks to Stop Lebanon War, Not Join It

Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa (SANA)
Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa (SANA)

Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa has moved to quell renewed speculation that Syria could become involved in the war in Lebanon, saying reports that Damascus intends to intervene militarily are “mere rumors.”

Sharaa said Syria’s position at this stage was based on “seeking to stop the war in Lebanon, not becoming involved in it.”

His remarks came during a meeting with a delegation from the Damascus countryside. He said demarcating the Syrian-Lebanese border was “not currently a priority” given more urgent files, foremost among them the case of about 1.4 million displaced Syrians in Lebanon and efforts to find a suitable mechanism to ensure their return.

US President Donald Trump had recently reaffirmed Washington’s goal of delivering a strong blow to Hezbollah. According to him, Israel has done what is necessary in the south, but there is still much left to eliminate Hezbollah. He then hinted at possibly having to ask Syria’s involvement.

Trump’s remarks prompted a wave of interpretations, amid reports of a possible visit by Sharaa to Washington. The Syrian presidency denied those reports.

Sources in Damascus told Asharq Al-Awsat that the US remarks were “a form of reshuffling the cards” and fell within “the framework of negotiating statements and sending messages to Iran.”

The sources said, “So far, there has been no official US request to Damascus related to any form of Syrian military intervention in Lebanon.” They said Tom Barrack, Trump’s envoy to Syria and Iraq and Washington’s ambassador in Ankara, had previously asked Damascus “to take a clear, explicit and serious position against Hezbollah.”

The sources said Damascus believes it already has such a position, reflected in border control, cutting smuggling routes and high-level coordination with the Lebanese government.

They added that “entering the quagmire of war and sending military forces unilaterally is completely ruled out,” and that it was “very, very early” to discuss the possibility of Syrian forces entering Lebanon in support of the Lebanese army.

Brigadier General Hassan Abdul Ghani, commander of the Border Guard Forces in the Syrian Arab Army, met last Thursday with a Lebanese army delegation headed by liaison official Brigadier General Michel Boutros, in the presence of several officers.

The talks focused on issues of mutual concern, mainly “enhancing cooperation and coordination between the two sides in border control and combating smuggling activities, in a way that contributes to strengthening border security between the two countries.”

At the same time, Syria’s Interior Ministry said “Lebanon is a sovereign state and not a backyard, as the former regime viewed it,” stressing that “coordination with Lebanon is the basic pillar for any assistance Syria provides to Lebanon.”

Sharaa had expressed Syria’s readiness to provide Lebanon with whatever support and assistance it can, within available capabilities and circumstances, when he received former Lebanese Prime Minister Najib Mikati in Damascus on the ninth of this month.

Media reports said Sharaa told Mikati that “Lebanon’s stability and security constitute a direct Syrian interest,” and that Damascus was keen to build the best relations with the Lebanese state on the basis of mutual respect, good neighborliness and non-interference in internal affairs.

The meeting between Sharaa and Mikati, which lasted for hours, discussed the state of bilateral relations between Damascus and Beirut and prospects for developing them in the next stage, along with several economic and investment files of mutual interest, in light of the transformations taking place in the region.