Egypt may have deployed the HQ-9B Air Defense (AD) system acquired from China in the Sinai Peninsula to deter Israel amid rising tensions.
According to regional media outlets like Middle East Monitor and Arab Weekly, Egypt has deployed the Chinese HQ-9B long-range air defence systems at strategic sites in the Sinai Peninsula. The alleged deployment corresponds with a new ground offensive launched by the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) in Gaza City.
Egypt has accused Israel of pushing the region into chaos with its coordinated assaults on Gaza and warned it against manufacturing a mass displacement of the Palestinians.
The Egyptian Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty said last week that the mass influx of Palestinians from Gaza to Egypt was a “red line,” and asserted that Cairo will not allow any party to risk Egypt’s national security or sovereignty.
The claims regarding the deployment could not be independently verified by the EurAsian Times. However, if the deployment is confirmed, it would have a deep symbolic significance in addition to the operational one.
During the 6-Day war in 1967, Israel captured Sinai from Egypt, the West Bank from Jordan, and the Golan Heights from Syria.
Though it still controls the West Bank and the Golan Heights, Israel returned Sinai to Egypt following the 1979 Egypt-Israel Peace Treaty, and the two sides also established demilitarization limits in Sinai, particularly in zones near the Israeli border.
If confirmed, the deployment of HQ-9B means that Egypt is complying with these treaty restrictions by using mobile units to avoid permanent militarization.
The relationship between Israel and Egypt has reached a nadir due to Israel’s actions in Gaza and the wider West Asian region. Since October 2023, Israel has targeted six countries in the region to eliminate Hamas: Gaza, Lebanon, Syria, Yemen, Iran, and Qatar. This has left other countries, including Egypt and Turkey, alarmed.
Sharply escalating the rhetoric against Israel, Egyptian President Abdel-Fattah el-Sisi condemned Israel’s actions at the emergency summit called by Qatar after Israeli strikes in Doha.
“The heinous attack on Qatari territory is a grave violation of international law and sets a dangerous precedent. I warn that Israel’s uncontrolled behaviour will exacerbate the conflict and destabilise the region,” Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi said. “I say to the people of Israel that what is happening now is sabotaging the existing peace agreements, and the consequences will be dire.”
Against that backdrop, reports claim that Egypt is sending a clear message of deterrence to Israel and signalling that it is fully capable of retaliation.
The HQ-9B, with a range of up to 260 kilometers and the ability to counter aircraft, drones, and cruise missiles, would enhance Egypt’s deterrence against potential Israeli aerial incursions or border violations.
The deployment also signals the growing insecurity among countries in the region, especially as the United States continues to provide steadfast support to Israel.
Egypt is one of the closest allies of the United States in the Middle East region, and the biggest beneficiary of US aid after Israel. However, the unconditional support provided by the US to Israel has created a sense of insecurity across the region.
The unverified Egyptian deployment comes as Israel is increasingly facing international flak for its military campaign in Gaza. An independent UN commission has recently concluded that Israel is committing genocide in Gaza—an accusation that has been rejected by Israel as distorted and fictitious.
The HQ-9B AD System
Retired Egyptian Army Major General Samir Farag publicly stated in an interview in July 2025 that the HQ-9B systems had been integrated into Egypt’s air defense network, including deployments in the Sinai Peninsula.
The Chinese-made HQ-9B air defense system had also featured in the “Eagles of Civilization 2025” joint air force exercises between Egypt and China, held earlier this year.
While the drills were primarily focused on air operations, including air superiority combat, suppressive air defense, and aerial refueling, the HQ-9B was mainly integrated to demonstrate interoperability with Chinese platforms.
Developed and manufactured by China Precision Machinery Import-Export Corporation (CPMIEC), a Beijing-based Chinese defense company, the HQ-9 is a long-range surface-to-air missile (SAM) system designed to intercept various aerial threats, including aircraft, cruise missiles, air-to-surface missiles, and tactical ballistic missiles.
The HQ-9 is a mobile, truck-mounted system for rapid deployment, using an 8×8 Taian TAS-5380 wheeled chassis for high mobility across varied terrain. It employs a “cold-launch” vertical system, where missiles eject via gas before igniting, enabling 360-degree firing without launcher orientation.
One HQ-9 battery includes 192 missiles, 48 missile-launch vehicles, six control vehicles, six targeting radar vehicles, six search radar vehicles, a positioning vehicle, a communications vehicle, a power supply vehicle, and a support vehicle.
The HQ-9B variant, which Egypt has allegedly acquired, has a range of over 260 kilometers and can intercept 8 to 10 missiles simultaneously. It has a dual seeker that improves hit probability against low-observable or ECM-heavy targets, while datalinks enable mid-course updates from external sensors.
Often compared to Russia’s S-400 due to its extended range and multi-target engagement, the HQ-9B emphasizes mobility, radar resilience, and integration into layered defense networks.
In fact, the Chinese state media have previously said the HQ-9B is comparable to the US-origin Patriot missile defense system. Both are long-range, multi-role SAM systems designed for area defense, protecting critical infrastructure, and countering various threats, including fighters, bombers, drones, cruise missiles, and tactical ballistic missiles.
Chinese media regularly mention the HQ-9’s performance in local and international exercises, stating that it has a high interception rate in simulated situations.
For instance, the PLA Air Force exercises have demonstrated the HQ-9’s capability to engage low-flying targets, hypersonic threats, and saturation missile attacks.
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