Egypt, US to launch military drills with 43 nations

Egypt will host the Bright Star 2025 military exercises on Aug. 28, with participation from 43 countries, in one of the Middle East’s largest military drills.

“US military forces will join the Egyptian Armed Forces, as well as other participating nations, for Exercise BRIGHT STAR 2025 at Mohamed Naguib Military Base, Egypt, 28 August – 10 September 2025,” US Central Command said in a statement on the American social media platform X.

The drills “build on the strategic security relationship between Egypt and the United States.”

Egyptian army spokesperson Col. Gharib Abdel Hafez said in a video statement that 13 countries will participate directly with more than 7,900 troops, while 30 others will join as observers.

Bright Star is one of the world’s largest multinational exercises. Held in Egypt, it includes naval, ground, air and special forces training.

The exercises were first launched in 1980 after Egypt and Israel signed their peace treaty and became a regular biennial event starting in 1981. In 2018, nine countries participated, and 16 others joined as observers.

The 2021 edition included 21 nations after a one-year pause due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The last exercises took place from Aug. 31 to Sept. 14, 2023, with 34 participating countries.

The event comes amid Israeli plans to occupy Gaza City as part of a broader strategy to reoccupy the entire Gaza Strip. Gaza shares a border with the Sinai Peninsula in northeastern Egypt.

Israel has killed nearly 62,700 Palestinians in Gaza since October 2023. The military campaign has devastated the enclave, which is facing famine.

Last November, the International Criminal Court issued arrest warrants for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant for war crimes and crimes against humanity in Gaza.

Israel also faces a genocide case at the International Court of Justice for its war on the enclave.