Shin Bet chief David Zini reportedly warned in closed-door discussions that “the next October 7 could be in Eilat,” according to a report published Monday by journalist Josh Breiner in Haaretz. Security sources said Zini instructed that Eilat be placed at the top of the list of possible scenarios for a future attack on the city.
The Shin Bet later issued a clarification saying there is no specific threat against Eilat. It said the warning reflected “thorough operational planning” and study of threats across all sectors, not concrete intelligence about an imminent attack.
Eilat Mayor Meir Yitzhak Halevi and the Eilot Regional Council sought to calm residents, saying there was no concrete alert from the security services. Halevi said that since October 7, important lessons have been learned and security along the eastern border has been reinforced. He added that the city and the forces protecting it are prepared for any scenario.
By contrast, Hanan Ginat, head of the Eilot Regional Council, said he was not surprised by the comments and described the eastern border as Israel’s most sensitive frontier. He warned that the border is already a route for weapons and drug smuggling and urged more resources for local defense units, fearing the criminal smuggling corridor could become an infiltration route for terror cells.
Halevi stressed that national resilience must be built in advance, not after the fact, calling Eilat Israel’s strategic southern gateway. He said strengthening medical services, security and emergency infrastructure is a national interest, and that the municipality will keep coordinating with security officials ahead of the summer vacation season.
