Religious, Media Support to Possible Egyptian Military Intervention in Libya

Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi, right, with Khalifa Haftar, the head of the Libyan National Army (LNA) meeting in Cairo last year | AP
Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi, right, with Khalifa Haftar, the head of the Libyan National Army (LNA) meeting in Cairo last year | AP
TT
20

Religious, Media Support to Possible Egyptian Military Intervention in Libya

Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi, right, with Khalifa Haftar, the head of the Libyan National Army (LNA) meeting in Cairo last year | AP
Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi, right, with Khalifa Haftar, the head of the Libyan National Army (LNA) meeting in Cairo last year | AP

Egypt's announcement on deploying troops from the armed forces in Libya was highly welcomed by religious and media institutions.

The parliament unanimously approved "the deployment of members of the Egyptian armed forces on combat missions outside Egypt's borders to defend Egyptian national security against criminal armed militias and foreign terrorist elements", it said in a statement.

Al Azhar stressed its support for all measures adopted by the Egyptian leadership to protect national security and borders in the face of foreign threats.

In a statement, Azhar underlined the necessity of being aware of the dangers and challenges besetting Egypt in the current stage as well as closing ranks for the best interests of the nation. Further, Azhar hailed Egypt's keenness on realizing peaceful solutions.

In the same context, the Coptic Orthodox Church welcomed the parliament’s decision. The stances of Evangelical and Catholic Churches in Egypt intersected with the former's as well, hence expressing support to Egyptian actions concerning Libya.

For its part, Egypt's Dar al-Ifta backed Egypt's response on Libya and emphasized standing by the country against all challenges.

Moreover, the Ministry of Information in Egypt expressed full support to procedures taken by the state to maintain national security and defeat risks -- the Ministry lauded the Egyptian armed forces’ efforts in this regard.



Airlines Keep Avoiding Middle East Airspace after US Attack on Iran

FILE - Israeli air defense system fires to intercept missiles during an Iranian attack over Tel Aviv, Israel, Thursday, June 19, 2025. (AP Photo/Leo Correa, File)
FILE - Israeli air defense system fires to intercept missiles during an Iranian attack over Tel Aviv, Israel, Thursday, June 19, 2025. (AP Photo/Leo Correa, File)
TT
20

Airlines Keep Avoiding Middle East Airspace after US Attack on Iran

FILE - Israeli air defense system fires to intercept missiles during an Iranian attack over Tel Aviv, Israel, Thursday, June 19, 2025. (AP Photo/Leo Correa, File)
FILE - Israeli air defense system fires to intercept missiles during an Iranian attack over Tel Aviv, Israel, Thursday, June 19, 2025. (AP Photo/Leo Correa, File)

Airlines continued to avoid large parts of the Middle East on Sunday after US strikes on Iranian nuclear sites, according to flight tracking website FlightRadar24, with traffic already skirting airspace in the region due to recent missile exchanges.

"Following US attacks on Iranian nuclear facilities, commercial traffic in the region is operating as it has since new airspace restrictions were put into place last week," FlightRadar24 said on social media platform X.

Its website showed airlines were not flying in the airspace over Iran, Iraq, Syria and Israel.

Missile and drone barrages in an expanding number of conflict zones globally represent a high risk to airline traffic.

Since Israel launched strikes on Iran on June 13, carriers have suspended flights to destinations in the affected countries, though there have been some evacuation flights from neighbouring nations and some bringing stranded Israelis home.

Israel's two largest carriers, El Al Israel Airlines and Arkia, said on Sunday they were suspending rescue flights that allowed people to return to Israel until further notice.

Israel's airports authority said the country's airspace was closed for all flights, but land crossings with Egypt and Jordan remained open.

Japan's foreign ministry said on Sunday it had evacuated 21 people, including 16 Japanese nationals, from Iran overland to Azerbaijan. It said it was the second such evacuation since Thursday and that it would conduct further evacuations if necessary.

New Zealand's government said on Sunday it would send a Hercules military transport plane to the Middle East on standby to evacuate New Zealanders from the region.

It said in a statement that government personnel and a C-130J Hercules aircraft would leave Auckland on Monday. The plane would take some days to reach the region, it said.

The government was also in talks with commercial airlines to assess how they may be able to assist, it added.