Israeli authorities declared an end to a security alert in Eilat on Tuesday afternoon after a suspected terrorist infiltration prompted a large-scale security response. The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) confirmed that the situation had been resolved and normal activities could resume. “The suspicion of a security incident in the area of Highway 12 near the city of Eilat has been removed. The access roads to and from the city are open to traffic; there is no change in the directives of the Home Front Command,” the IDF stated.
Earlier in the day, the Police Spokesperson’s Unit had issued an alert, leading to a lockdown and road closures in and around Eilat. “Due to a suspected security incident on Highway 12, in the Eilat area, Eilat precinct police forces, including Yasam, Border Police and IDF forces, are currently blocking access routes to the city of Eilat,” the announcement read. Residents were advised to stay indoors, and drivers were instructed to avoid the area and use alternative routes.
Several Individuals have been Detained by Israeli Police near Highway 12 in the City of Eilat, it is currently Unknown if these are the Infiltrators from Egypt. pic.twitter.com/lgEBcFkwjL
— OSINTdefender (@sentdefender) July 16, 2024
Security forces quickly mobilized to investigate the potential threat. According to Ynet, residents of Eilat were instructed to hold educational activities inside protected buildings while the situation was assessed. Authorities also considered whether the alert was related to a large-scale military exercise conducted earlier in the day by Rafael Advanced Defense Systems.
The heightened alert comes in the context of previous attacks in the region. In June 2023, three IDF soldiers were killed in exchanges of fire along the southern border with Egypt by an Egyptian police officer. Additionally, Sinai-based terrorists conducted multiple attacks against Israel in 2011 and 2012, before the completion of a high-tech security fence. One notable incident in August 2011 saw terrorists kill six Israeli civilians, an IDF soldier, an Israeli police counterterrorism officer, and five Egyptian soldiers.
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