Israeli officials are concerned by the possibility that Germany will sell advanced submarines to Egypt, according to the Jerusalem Post. The Dolphin-class submarines would allow Egypt to gather covert intelligence, they said.

Egypt's naval force is much larger than Israel's, but Israel's Dolphin-class submarines are more advanced than those used by Egypt. If Egypt were to obtain the same submarines, it could have a serious effect on the balance of naval power in the Mediterranean, officials said.