Israeli Navy Fires on Egyptian Warship Near Gaza, Raising Fears of Dangerous Regional Escalation**

Tensions in the eastern Mediterranean escalated Thursday night after Israeli naval forces opened fire on an Egyptian warship near the coast of Gaza, an incident that underscores Israel’s aggressive enforcement of its maritime blockade and the growing risk of regional confrontation.

Hebrew-language Channel 13 reported that the Egyptian vessel entered waters off Gaza, an area Israel unilaterally designates as a restricted maritime zone under its ongoing naval blockade. Israeli warships responded by firing on the vessel, despite it belonging to Egypt, one of Israel’s closest regional security partners.

According to the report, the Egyptian ship had departed from the Sinai Peninsula and sailed into waters that Israel controls militarily as part of its blockade of Gaza Strip. After the vessel was detected, Israeli naval units were dispatched from the Ashdod naval base and issued orders for the ship to turn back.

When the Egyptian vessel continued moving toward Gaza, Israeli forces fired what were described as warning shots. Only after coming under fire did the Egyptian ship reverse course and return to Egyptian territorial waters.

Channel 13 cited Israeli military sources who placed responsibility for the incident on Egypt, claiming Cairo had acknowledged fault. No independent confirmation of that claim was immediately available, and Egyptian authorities had not publicly commented on the confrontation as of Thursday night.

The episode highlights the extent to which Israel is willing to use military force to enforce its blockade of Gaza, even when doing so risks direct clashes with neighboring states. Critics have long argued that Israel’s sweeping control of Gaza’s airspace and coastal waters amounts to collective punishment and creates constant flashpoints that could spiral beyond its borders.

While the encounter ended without reported damage or casualties, the fact that Israeli naval forces fired on an Egyptian military vessel marks a serious and alarming escalation in an already volatile region.