Egyptian archaeologists announced in October 2025 the discovery of a monumental New Kingdom military fortress at Tell el-Kharouba, located in the Sheikh Zuweid region of North Sinai. This significant find offers critical insight into the architectural sophistication and strategic depth of Pharaonic defenses along Egypt's eastern frontier. The structure is immediately recognized as one of the most substantial fortifications ever found along the ancient Horus Military Road, the vital artery connecting the Egyptian heartland with the Levant.
The fortress is firmly dated to the 18th Dynasty, a peak period of Egyptian imperial power. Its sheer scale is impressive, spanning approximately 8,000 square meters, making it roughly three times the size of a comparable installation previously excavated at the same location in the 1980s. Architectural remnants reveal meticulous planning, including a southern perimeter wall extending about 105 meters in length and 2.5 meters thick, reinforced by at least eleven defensive towers projecting outward. Further complexity is shown by a 75-meter-long zigzag wall bisecting the complex and a substantial 2.2-meter-wide main entrance designed for robust access control.
Artifact recovery provided precise chronological anchors for the massive structure. Excavations yielded pottery shards and foundational deposits characteristic of the early 18th Dynasty. The definitive evidence establishing the construction timeline was the discovery of a jar handle clearly inscribed with the royal cartouche of King Thutmose I. This places the fortress's initial activation during his reign, a period known for significant territorial expansion into Syria and crushing the Nubian rebellion.
The presence of a large, well-preserved bread oven, complete with traces of fossilized dough, strongly indicates this was a fully self-sufficient military hub capable of sustaining a large garrison over extended deployments. Dr. Mohamed Ismail Khaled, Secretary-General of the Supreme Council of Antiquities, stated that such fortifications deepen the collective understanding of Pharaonic Egypt's intricate military organization. This discovery powerfully illuminates the advanced defensive network established to secure the Sinai corridor, reflecting a high state of readiness necessary to maintain Egypt's regional influence in the Near East.