Shin Bet chief David Zini has warned in closed meetings about a severe scenario in which Eilat could become, in his words, the “next October 7.” According to a report in Haaretz on Monday, Zini instructed senior officials in the agency to place the southern city at the top of the security priority list.
Zini sees Eilat as a major weak point because of its geography: the city is far from Israel’s population and military centers and is surrounded on three sides by international borders. In the discussions, he reportedly warned of a possible ground incursion into the city from its land borders, with particular concern about the Jordanian border, while also leaving open the possibility of an attack from the sea. He has directed Shin Bet intelligence units to focus on intelligence collection and situation assessments tied to the threat.
Eilat has about 60,000 residents and is roughly a three-hour drive from central Israel. It borders Jordan, Egypt and Saudi Arabia, and its status as a major tourist destination adds to the security challenge. Zini has asked senior officials to dedicate special resources and attention to the city, which he views as a weak link in Israel’s defense chain.
However, security officials are skeptical about how much weight should be given to the scenario. Senior sources say there is no concrete intelligence showing an attack on Eilat is being actively planned, even though the theoretical concern exists. After the October 7 Hamas assault, officials say they are treating such warnings with greater caution. The Shin Bet is currently dealing with other threats too, including Hamas infrastructure operating from Turkey and terror networks in Samaria reportedly handled from Lebanon. The agency did not formally respond to the report.
