The Israeli Navy has significantly reinforced its forces in the Eilat area following Shin Bet chief Dovid Zini’s warning of a possible enemy infiltration into the city, Maariv reported on Sunday.

Advanced “Super Dvora” patrol boats have been deployed to the Red Sea area, combining powerful fire capabilities and rapid response, as part of the Navy’s security measures to protect Eilat.

One of the main challenges in defending Eilat is the lack of maritime depth, as the defense buffer opposite Jordan and Egypt consists of only a few hundred meters. The Navy’s current operational concept relies on fast Tzira-class patrol boats to respond to infiltrations by jet skis or swimmers, alongside larger “Dvor” and “Dvora” patrol boats designed to counter larger-scale incursions.

A military official in the Southern Command said that the 80th “Edom” Division, which is responsible for securing the area, continues operating with its regular force deployment and is prepared for a wide range of threats.

“We are preparing for every scenario you can think of,” the official said. “We understand there is a broad spectrum of threats we must be ready for—from the Egyptian and Jordanian borders, to the maritime border, possible Houthi activity, and other terrorist organizations.”

The IDF sought to downplay any direct connection between the naval reinforcement and Zini’s warning. A military official stated, “The Navy’s deployment in the Eilat sector is based on operational assessments conducted by the Naval Forces. There is no connection between the changes in force deployment and the reinforcement of naval vessels in the Red Sea and the statements made by Shin Bet chief David Zini.”

However, military analysts have cast doubts on the IDF’s statements regarding threats to Eilat. Shortly after Zini’s warning regarding Eilat was revealed, reports emerged that a suspicious vessel intercepted off the coast of Eilat several weeks earlier was likely an enemy unmanned surface craft designed for intelligence gathering or carrying explosives. Even after the incident was revealed, at least one military analyst asserted that “someone is hiding the full truth about the incident.”

(YWN Israel Desk—Jerusalem)