Exercise details
On Sunday, the Israeli military announced that a major training operation is set to begin on Monday in Eilat, a Red Sea port, and the adjacent Arava Valley near the Jordanian frontier, designed to rehearse responses to an unexpected assault. The maneuvers, overseen by the 80th Division, will involve noticeable deployments of security personnel, aircraft, and naval assets in the region starting Sunday.[S1]
The troops will engage in various simulated situations, including hostile incursions into Israeli territory via air, sea, or land. The military refrained from disclosing the exercise's length, merely indicating that the drills will occur in the next few days.[S1]
Purpose and context
The purpose of the exercise is to evaluate the protection of Israeli settlements near the Jordanian border and the Eilat zone, boost troop preparedness, and employ air and naval forces to reinforce regional security. The military characterized it as a component of a continuous initiative to elevate readiness and proficiency, incorporating insights from recent combat and security events.[S1]
This drill comes a week after a similar exercise in the occupied Syrian Golan Heights focused on surprise and complex attacks. Warnings about possible infiltrations across Israel's eastern border have increased in recent months.[S1]
Recent incidents
Back in June, Israeli military sources reported that an attempted sea-based infiltration into Eilat's hotel district was stopped. As per Israel's private Channel 15, the navy detected an individual on a jet ski approaching from the direction of the Jordanian border. After warning shots were fired and the person did not halt, Israeli forces opened fire, prompting the individual to retreat back toward the border.[S1]
Jordan did not comment on the Israeli account.[S1]
