## 2 Brief Tectono-Geophysical Setting  
The study area is a complex zone of the lithospheric plate junction of the African-Arabian region, which belonged to the northern zone of the Gondwana in the Mesozoic-Early Cenozoic. There are developed structural elements of the latitudinal zonation caused by the development of the Neotethys Ocean and meridional zonation associated with the development of the Red Sea-East African spreading zone [10; 24; 25] and the Nubian-Arabian deep mantle structure that merged with this zone in the Late Cenozoic [14]. This is best illustrated by the recently constructed satellite-derived gravity map (Figure 1), which reflects the stable relationship between the changes in the gravity anomalies and the outline of the various regional tectonic features. [PERSON] and [PERSON] [24] have shown that qualitative analysis of satellite gravity maps (retracked to marine and earth surface) may be performed without any additional reductions for regional tectonic-structural or geodynamical zonation. Such a clear display, obtained for the first time for this geologically very complex region, is highly important since the current task of tectonic-paleomagnetic mapping should be based on a reasonably wide range of geophysical methods. Moreover, from the very beginning, in a series of our works, we set the task of applying the combined studies, including a system of various geological-geophysical surveys, e.g., [16; 17; 26; 27; 28]. The presented map (Figure 1), being technologically reliable and continuous in the extent of the presented material, captures the essential elements of tectonics and geodynamics of this transitional region between Eurasia and Gondwana. Geodynamic elements of different orders and tectonic structures are located here, reflected in changes in the gravity field behavior. First, the most critical tectonic plates and the zones of faults limiting them are well distinguished. The latter corresponds to two dominant directions: sublatitudinal and submeridional. The first corresponds to the collisional geodynamics of the residual ocean Neotethys. Furthermore, the second is connected with the initial stages of rifting in the Red Sea system. Naturally, at the intersection of these systems and structures, a complex system of uplifts, troughs, and mobile belts of fold-block and rift type is formed, and an uneven-aged system of traps is developed, reflected in the anomalies of the gravitational and magnetic fields. Tectonically complex areas such as the Dead Sea Transform (DST) zone and the Mesozoic terrane belt (MTB) block system adjacent to it prompt the choice of standard polygons for paleomagnetic mapping. In terms of studying the relationship between the continental and oceanic crust in the zone of transition of the continental structures of Gondwana to the oceanic structures of the Eastern Mediterranean Sea, the gravity map clearly shows the difference between the terranes of the southernmost part of the MTB from the oceanic basins of the Levant. Earlier magneto-geophysical studies of this region, e.g., [21; 23], which turned out to be more than relevant, showed the importance of comparing magnetic and satellite-gravity data. Figure 1: Satellite-derived gravity map of the area under study with the main tectonic features (isoline density is 10 mGals). (1) Intraplate faults, (2) interplate faults, (3) the southern boundary of the Mediterranean accretionary belt. DST, Dead Sea Transform; SF, Sinai Fault. The sublattice piece of the Noetetthys collisional segment of the Earth's crust, which is replaced to the south by the submeridional Red Sea-East African rift belt, is well illustrated by the data of the magnetic-thermal geodynamic map (Figure 2A,B).