ADDIS ABABA — Military tensions along the sensitive border between Ethiopia’s Tigray region and Eritrea have reached a critical level following reports of a massive military buildup. According to reports released on February 20, 2026, both the Ethiopian National Defense Force (ENDF) and the Eritrean Defense Forces (EDF) have begun deploying mechanized units, tanks, and heavy artillery to frontier zones. Witnesses in northern Ethiopia reported sightings of long military convoys transporting soldiers and weaponry through regional hubs such as Bahir Dar, heading toward the northern front. Regional diplomats cited by Bloomberg warn that the risk of a full-scale return to hostilities is at its highest point since the 2022 Pretoria cessation of hostilities agreement. The buildup follows weeks of increasing friction between Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed’s administration and the government of President Isaias Afwerki, centered on unresolved disputes over Red Sea access and allegations of Eritrean interference in Ethiopia's internal security. The United Nations and African Union have urged both nations to exercise restraint and respect established border treaties.