The head of the Shin Bet (Israel Security Agency), David Zini, warned in closed discussions that “the next October 7 will be in Eilat,” according to a report in the newspaper Haaretz.
Zini instructed senior officials in the organization to prioritize a possible attack on the city and views Eilat as a security vulnerability mainly due to its isolated geographic location, the report said.
In discussions within and outside the Shin Bet, he warned of a ground invasion into the city from its land borders, particularly from the Jordanian border, and possibly also from its maritime borders. According to sources, Zini is directing the agency’s intelligence units toward a scenario involving an attack on the city, but security officials are expressing doubt about the importance Zini assigns to it and about the existence of intelligence indicating a planned attack.
As reported by Maariv in January, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu convened a security discussion focused on the defense establishment’s preparedness for fighting on multiple fronts: Iran, Yemen, Lebanon, and Gaza. According to military sources, the IDF worked to build operational capabilities for each of the four arenas. Military Intelligence, the Mossad, and other branches built target banks in each arena, and at the time, no prioritization was established among them. At the beginning of the discussion, the prime minister and defense minister were briefed on the different arenas.
At the time, the security establishment identified in Yemen a learning process by the Houthis, and that despite internal issues and military tensions with Saudi Arabia, the Houthis were still seeking to challenge Israel through various means, from ballistic missile fire to sending ground forces toward Israel’s borders. The IDF at that time carried out a large-scale exercise in the 80th Regional Brigade sector, responsible for parts of southern Israel, with scenarios of enemy raids, including Houthi forces attempting to seize outposts and positions, and even infiltrate a tourist city, take hostages, and carry out killings.
Shin Bet concerns on Eilat line up with regional council warnings
“The statements by the head of the Shin Bet, as well as those of the Defense Ministry director general last week, are not surprising to us and are similar to what we have been warning about since October 7," the head of the Hevel Eilot Regional Council, Hanan Ginat, responded.
"It is clear to us that the eastern border region is currently the most sensitive in the country. Even today, the border with Jordan in the southern Arava serves as a route for ongoing criminal smuggling of weapons, drugs, and illegal entrants. Our concern is that the criminal route will become a route through which terrorist cells will attempt to infiltrate Israel and harm our communities. We are in full and close cooperation with the regional units operating in our sector, and we thank the fighters protecting us. At the same time, we call on the State of Israel to divert resources to the eastern border in the southern Arava, strengthen community defense units, and understand the major security challenge ahead of us.”
The Shin Bet stated that “Several months ago, as part of the process of assuming his role and learning the various threats, the head of the Shin Bet conducted a tour of Eilat, part of which was carried out in coordination with the army and examined various preparedness measures. We emphasize that there is no concrete information or warning, but rather systematic operational planning and study of threats across all the service’s areas of responsibility.”
No immediate threat to Eilat, mayor confirms
Eilat Mayor Eli Lankri confirmed that there was no concrete information about a new or immediate threat to the city of Eilat, adding, "However, the city and all security forces protecting it are prepared and ready for any scenario. I believe and am certain that since October 7, painful and important lessons have been learned so that the worst disaster in Israel’s history will not be repeated anywhere in the country. Since the beginning of the war, I have been holding regular discussions with all security bodies, and I can say that Eilat is well protected, prepared, and alert thanks to a broad security envelope, and during the war, security measures were even reinforced in the sector, including along the eastern border.
“However, we must not rely on security alone," Lankri continued. One of the key lessons of October 7 is that national resilience is built in advance, not after the fact. Eilat is Israel’s southern gateway, a city of clear strategic importance located at a tripoint and far from the country’s center. Therefore, the State of Israel must continue investing in strengthening the city in all areas: security, medical services, emergency infrastructure, and public services, because a strong, secure, and thriving Eilat is a top national interest. We are now in the midst of the summer season and the start of the school vacation period. We are ready to receive tens of thousands of visitors and tourists in the coming days, operating in full routine, with security and responsibility. We will, of course, continue to maintain ongoing contact with security officials and act in every way to ensure the safety of Eilat’s residents and visitors.”