Eilat Police and IDF Hold Largest Drill in Years Simulating October 7 Scenarios
The Eilat District Police and the IDF conducted a massive multi-front exercise simulating 360-degree terrorist infiltrations based on October 7 scenarios. The drills focused on Eilat's operational self-reliance due to its distance from central Israel.
The Eilat District Police on Monday conducted a large-scale, multi-arena exercise, the largest held in the southern resort city in years. The drills simulated complex, multi-front scenarios based on the lessons of the October 7, 2023, attacks.
Simultaneous 360-Degree Attack Scenarios
The comprehensive exercise simulated various extreme security threats, including:
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Terrorists seizing a local police station;
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Infiltration of hostile forces via motorized paragliders;
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Terrorist incursions from the Jordanian border into a kibbutz in the Arava region;
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A Jordanian citizen stabbing tourists at an Eilat hotel;
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Seaborne terrorist raids targeting beachgoers;
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Hostage-taking at an IDF outpost on the eastern border and breaches of western border bases;
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Infiltration of armed militants on jet skis from Jordan and Egypt;
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Terrorists seizing a hotel on the southern beach and taking hostages.
Due to the simulated threat of a mass casualty event and the challenge of managing multiple active scenes simultaneously, dozens of reinforcement officers and special forces were immediately dispatched. Some forces arrived by road, while others were airlifted by IDF helicopters. Combat helicopters and fighter jets conducted low-altitude flyovers over the city and the Gulf of Eilat to detect suspicious aerial targets.
Isolation of Jordanian Workers and Emergency Protocols
Commander Alon Kalfon, head of the Eilat District Police, noted that special preventive measures were simulated during the drill. This included coordinating with security officers at local hotels employing Jordanian workers to restrict their movement outside the premises to prevent potential escalation.
Commander Alon Kalfon stated:
"We simulated a wide range of scenarios from sea, land, and air—a massive 360-degree infiltration into Eilat. We provided an operational response in all sectors, issued instructions to the public, activated all intelligence networks, deployed national traffic police to block main routes, halted operations at Ramon Airport, and effectively controlled the entire arena alongside the IDF and the Red Sea naval forces. The overall outcome is highly satisfactory, and we will implement lessons learned to further improve."
Strategic Autonomy in the South
Nir Yifat, director of the Southern Region of MDA, reported that a specialized mass-casualty evacuation bus and additional emergency teams were deployed to Eilat for the exercise. MDA teams simulated the evacuation of numerous casualties to Yoseftal Hospital in Eilat.
Major General Chaim Bublil, commander of the Southern District of the Israel Police, observed the drills and emphasized Eilat's unique strategic challenge:
"The operational readiness of the Eilat district is based on our risk assessments. We work in full cooperation with the IDF and the Shin Bet. The Israel Police has significantly reinforced the Eilat district with Border Police (MAGAV) and Yasam tactical units, recognizing that the city must remain self-reliant in its initial response due to its distance from central Israel. The Eilat district must operate under the assumption that in a real-world event, it will take at least three hours for special forces to reach the city."
