Defense correspondent Shay Levi has questioned details released regarding a recent maritime security incident in the Gulf of Eilat, in which Israel Navy forces identified a vessel that crossed the eastern border and opened fire on it.
Levi described the incident as “a very strange story," noting that it was not reported in real time and that only later did it become known that the defense establishment was examining the possibility that the vessel was not manned, but instead may have been used for intelligence gathering or to test the response of Israeli forces.
According to Levi, based on information that was not published at the time, an attempt was made about two weeks ago to breach the area using either a jet ski or an unmanned vessel in the Gulf of Eilat. “The vessel departed from Jordan and was identified by a Navy ship, which struck it and pushed it back," he said.
Levi said the IDF had praised the actions of the Navy vessel’s command, but raised questions about the way the incident was presented to the public.
“Beyond the fact that the incident was not reported in real time, until suddenly the head of the ISA identifies Eilat as a high-value target for terrorists, the ship had systems that allow it to identify the vessel and determine who is on board," he said.
He added that the delay in clarifying the circumstances raised concerns. “If after two weeks they still cannot answer whether there was someone on the vessel, then someone in the defense establishment is not telling the whole truth, and perhaps is also creating a narrative," Levi claimed.
Reports published last night said that defense officials were considering the possibility that the vessel that entered Eilat’s maritime area was unmanned and may have been used to test the readiness of security forces.
During the incident, Navy personnel identified the vessel after it crossed the eastern border in the Gulf of Eilat and opened fire, after which it returned toward Jordan.
At the time, information was received from Jordanian sources claiming that a person riding the vessel had been injured by the gunfire. However, later examinations found no indication that such a person existed, leading defense officials to consider that the information may have been inaccurate or deliberately misleading.
One assessment being examined is that the vessel may have been an unmanned platform used for intelligence collection or possibly for carrying explosives.
Another possibility being investigated is that a hostile actor sought to test Israel’s preparedness in the area. One theory reportedly under consideration is that the incident may have been connected to figures linked to the Houthis, as part of preparations for a future attempted attack in the Eilat region.