Developments in the Sinai desert have brought concerns of an Islamic State (ISIS) attack on Israel on Sunday, after a rocket on Friday was fired into Israel by the group along its southern borders.
Channel 20 spoke to Gen. Yaakov Amidror, former National Security Advisor and expert at the Begin-Sadat Center for Strategic Studies (BESA) over the issue.
"ISIS is strengthening throughout the Middle East," he said. "We see that they have managed to become more organized in the Sinai Peninsula, making the war against them longer and more difficult [...] but I don't think that this [its presence in the Sinai - ed.] has redefined their presence in the Middle East."
Amidror also noted that no one is underestimating ISIS, as Western countries have with other terror groups in the past.
"I think that people understand that ISIS is the most serious and meaningful threat," he stated. "It's expected to stay around for a long time. It will be very difficult to destroy it."
Amidror added that, in terms of Israel, defense officials are expecting a double threat along its northern and southern borders, i.e. in the Golan Heights and Israel's borders with the Sinai desert.
He affirmed, however, that Israel has been at least partially aware of the mounting threat of ISIS along its borders, which include a recent resurgence of ISIS activity in Gaza.
"ISIS understands, first of all, that it needs to overthrow the 'evil' leaderships of other Arab countries, and also that the Jewish state is a hard nut to crack," he added. "I do think it's inching very slowly toward us, but will arrive [at some point]."
Amidror concluded that while many speculate that the dire situation could lead to regional cooperation between Israel and other Arab states which generally oppose it, "the enemy of my enemy usually stays my enemy."