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Why did Britain bombard Alexandria in 1882?

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Abu El-Abbas mosque in Alexandria, Egypt, featuring ornate domes, arched entrances, intricate stonework, and a large patterned courtyard in the foreground. — Alexandria The mosque of Abū al-ʿAbbās al-Mursī, Alexandria, Egypt.

Britain bombarded Alexandria on July 11, 1882, as a direct response to a local nationalist revolt led by Aḥmad ʿUrābī and his supporters.12

By 1881, a nationalist movement had emerged in Egypt, fueled by resentment toward European control over the country’s finances and the influence of foreign powers. Tensions escalated significantly when the nationalist-aligned government, led by Maḥmūd Sāmī al-Bārūdī as premier and ʿUrābī as war minister, challenged the authority of the khedive, Tawfīq.1

Following the arrival of British and French naval forces in Alexandria, rioting broke out in the city on June 11, 1882. Britain subsequently took the initiative to intervene militarily to suppress the nationalist uprising, ultimately leading to the bombardment of the city. This action served as the catalyst for a British occupation of Egypt that lasted until 1922.12