Drones target Eritrean troops inside Ethiopia, conflict monitor says

Live updates

1. 2h ago

   Drones Target Eritrean Troops Inside Ethiopia

   Ethiopian drone strikes hit Eritrean forces deployed inside northern Ethiopia overnight. Witnesses reported Eritrean troops driving through a northern Ethiopian town and entering the Tigray region. A conflict monitor stated the incursion aims to prevent Ethiopian federal forces from reaching the border. The escalation brings the Horn of Africa neighbors closer to outright war, raising fears of a wider regional conflict amid brewing Red Sea tensions.

   Why it matters

   Ethiopia and Eritrea share a volatile border and have a history of deadly conflict, notably a brutal war from 1998 to 2000 and renewed tensions during the recent Tigray conflict. The latest cross-border troop movements and subsequent drone attacks threaten fragile regional stability. Competing claims over Red Sea access and shifting diplomatic alignments further complicate the situation.

   What is confirmed

   • Drone strikes targeted Eritrean forces deployed inside northern Ethiopia overnight.
   • Witnesses reported Eritrean troops driving through a northern Ethiopian town.
   • Ethiopian drone strikes hit Eritrean forces inside a northern Tigrayan city.
   • A conflict monitor stated that Eritrea wants to stop Ethiopian federal forces from reaching its border.

   Still unconfirmed

   • Eritrea has officially invaded Ethiopia according to government communication.

   What to watch next

   • Further official statements from the Ethiopian and Eritrean governments regarding the drone strikes and troop movements.
   • Evidence of additional military deployments along the northern Ethiopian border.
   • Responses from regional and international diplomatic bodies to the escalating conflict.
   Sources used for this update (17)

   1. horn review — Eritrea Has Officially Invaded Ethiopia, Says Government Communication
   2. Reuters — Eritrean troops drive through northern Ethiopian town, witnesses say
   3. Business Insider Africa — East Africa’s strongest military nation may be faced with an invasion from its neighbour as it faces rising security threats
   4. The Economist — Ethiopia and Eritrea are on the brink of another conflict
   5. The Guardian — Ethiopia launches drone attack against Eritrean troops who crossed into Tigray
   6. The Africa Report — Is Assab Port the real prize in the looming Ethiopia-Eritrea war?
   7. Reuters — Drones target Eritrean troops inside Ethiopia, conflict monitor says
   8. www.theguardian.com — Ethiopia launches drone attack against Eritrean troops who ...
   9. Al-Monitor — Why renewed Egypt-Ethiopia tensions are a problem for China
   10. www.dropsitenews.com — Child killed in Gaza every 71 min for 3 years; Pentagon to livestream firing squad; Human rights jurist N....
   11. themedialine.org — Ethiopian-Eritrean Fighting Raises Fears of Wider War as Egypt Builds Red Sea Alliance
   12. www.jpost.com — Ethiopian-Eritrean fighting raises fears of wider war as Egypt builds Red Sea alliance - analysis
   confidence 90%