The security situation along Israel’s eastern border with Jordan is undergoing a dramatic shift, as IDF forces warn that the pastoral calm that once characterized the area can no longer be taken at face value.
Once considered one of Israel’s quieter sectors, the border is now being prepared for a wide range of threats, including extreme security scenarios, as forces on the ground adapt their deployment and operational readiness.
Findings from the area paint a complex and troubling picture. Much of the border remains open, with no fence at all in parts of the Arava region. Even in areas protected by a security fence, forces have discovered breaches.
The sector has increasingly become a hub for sophisticated smuggling networks that facilitate the entry of illegal migrants and the trafficking of weapons and drugs. The networks coordinate internationally through social media, arranging for individuals from countries including Thailand, Japan, China and Turkey to fly to Jordan before being transported to the border and picked up on the Israeli side by vehicles and taxis operated by criminal organizations.
Beyond the criminal aspects of illegal immigration, drug trafficking and weapons smuggling on a large scale, security officials view the existing infrastructure and smuggling routes as a potential “ticking time bomb."
The primary concern is that hostile elements and terrorists could exploit existing breaches and routes to infiltrate Israel and carry out major attacks. The concern was underscored by a recent stabbing attack in al-Auja, which prompted a rapid deployment of forces, the closure of the area and the capture of the terrorist.
In the wake of the lessons learned from the October 7 massacre, the IDF has dramatically changed the deployment of forces along Israel’s eastern frontier. As part of the changes, Division 96 was established, while a major operation was launched to rehabilitate and re-staff the “Water Line" outposts - security positions that had stood abandoned since the 1970s.
Soldiers are working around the clock to restore the outposts, with the goal of creating a forward defensive line that will be the first to confront an enemy attempting to cross the border.
Forces operating in the sector face a dual challenge, having to divide their operational attention between the eastern frontier with Jordan and the western sector adjoining Judea and Samaria.
Alongside engineering work to construct a new security fence and deploy advanced technological systems, commanders emphasize that the primary defense remains constant readiness, heightened vigilance and a determination to engage the enemy.
“The quiet and pastoral nature of the area is not something that reassures us. We are always on alert and always ready," soldiers serving in the sector explained.
“We don’t think that the quiet actually gives us peace of mind. We understand that, in the end, this is what will help us close the loop and encounter the enemy in time. Our soldiers get up every morning and work as hard as possible to maintain a normal way of life and allow residents to feel fully protected."