ISA Director David Zini has instructed senior officials in the agency to prioritize preparations for a possible attack scenario targeting the city of Eilat.
According to a report by Haaretz, Zini considers Eilat a potential security vulnerability, largely due to its geographic isolation and distance from Israel’s central regions.
The report said that in internal discussions within the ISA and with other security officials, Zini warned of the possibility of a ground infiltration into the city from Israel’s land borders, particularly from Jordan. He also raised the possibility of an attack carried out through the maritime border.
According to the report, Zini has directed the agency’s intelligence divisions to focus increased attention on the possibility of an attack on Eilat.
At the same time, sources cited in the report said that officials in the defense establishment have expressed reservations over the level of importance Zini assigns to the scenario, as well as questions over whether there is any intelligence indicating preparations for such an attack.
The Shin Bet responded to the report, clarifying that several months ago, as part of Zini’s transition into the role, he conducted a tour of Eilat. The Shin Bet stressed that “there is no concrete intelligence or specific warning," adding that the remarks were made in the context of assessing potential threats across all of the agency’s operational sectors.