Shin Bet chief David Zini warned in closed forums recently about a potential mass attack on the southern city of Eilat resembling the Hamas invasion of October 7, 2023, the Haaretz daily reported on Monday, citing several unnamed security sources.

According to the report, Zini ordered several senior officials in the security agency to give top priority to preparations for a scenario of a large-scale attack on the city, either from Jordanian territory or by sea, deeming the area a security weak spot due to its relative geographic remoteness.

Citing unnamed security sources, the report said Zini is anticipating a coordinated land invasion and attack by several terror groups, with the participation of Yemen’s Iran-backed Houthi rebels, who are located more than 2,000 kilometers from Israel but have fired missiles and drones at Eilat in the past.

The security sources cast doubt on the likelihood of such an attack, with one telling the outlet that “no one in the security establishment knows what intelligence [Zini] is relying on” to assert that Israel’s southernmost city is so vulnerable.

The Shin Bet chief, who entered the post in October 2025, recently visited Eilat to meet with security officials there. According to a Haaretz report last month, he also warned a cabinet meeting about an........

© The Times of Israel