( CNN ) -- Egyptian President Mohamed Morsy appointed three new commanders Tuesday , just days after he shook up the country 's powerful military leadership . He tapped leaders to head the navy , the air force and the air defense force , Morsy spokesman Yasser Ali announced on state TV . The president sent the previous leaders into `` retirement '' on Sunday , alongside Field Marshal Mohamed Hussein Tantawi and Lt. Gen. Sami Anan , once the country 's top military rulers . Morsy appointed Staff Maj. Gen. Abdel-Monen Bayoumi al-Terras as head of the air defense force , Staff Vice-Marshal Younes Elsayed Hamed as commander of the air force , and Staff Rear Adm. Osama Ahmed el-Gendy as head of the navy , Ali said . The fact the announcement came from Morsy directly , and not his defense minister , suggested the president is determined to take control of the military , which has been a mainstay of Egyptian politics for the past 60 years . Morsy assumed office June 30 and has moved quickly to assert his authority . Is Morsy making himself an emperor ? Also Tuesday , the president honored Tantawi , presenting him with the country 's top state medal , the Order of the Nile . Anan received the distinguished Order of the Republic medal later in the day . Both men have been named as advisers to Morsy , the country 's first freely elected president . No details of the new posts have been announced . Tricky game of power . Meanwhile , Egyptian forces continue to battle militants in the Sinai Peninsula , the state-run al-Ahram newspaper reported , citing security sources . One soldier was wounded and one militant was captured in the clashes , the sources said . Source : Yemen forces attack Defense Ministry . The military campaign was launched after an attack at a border post last week that left more than a dozen troops dead . Morsy dismissed several security officials and the governor of northern Sinai province in the wake of the attack .
Egyptian president names navy , air force and air defense force commanders . The move comes just days after he shook up the country 's powerful military leadership . Morsy assumed office June 30 and moved quickly to assert his authority .