The attacks on Sheikh Zuweid highlight the Sinai Peninsula's long history of militancy. The region is a vast, mostly arid expanse containing the Sinai desert. It is the only part of Egypt that is considered part of the Asian continent, and its strategic significance is rooted in the fact that it historically has been a valuable route for overland trade between Africa and Asia. The peninsula's harsh terrain and lack of natural resources have left it relatively unpopulated and underdeveloped, making it an ideal place for smuggling weapons and supplies. Stratfor has been watching the evolution of militancy in the peninsula for well over a decade. Violence has intensified in the region since the ouster of President Hosni Mubarak in 2011. Militants have engaged in attacks of varying severity, mainly on Egyptian military and security installations, but also on an Israeli border fence in 2012.