Israel Braces for Surprise Attack on Eilat from Islamic State in the Sinai

Site of suicide attack by Islamic State affiliate Ansar Beit al Magdis in Egyptian Sinai

Source: AP

The Washington Free Beacon has a report on Israeli Army prepared for possible cross border attacks on resort area of Eilat by Islamic State affiliate Ansar Beit al Maqdis that has undertaken murderous attacks on Egyptian security forces.

Their tactics could include simultaneous penetration of the border fence at a number of points by large numbers of terrorists, cross border rockets, and the use of hang gliders and speedboats, according to Israel Radio.

“The scenario we are preparing for,” said IDF Col. Hen, in a blunt briefing, “is a terror threat directed against our forces and civilians in the Eilat area. The scenario is a multi-pronged attack, not just at one site, and we will likely have to deal with this challenge without prior warning.”  Its members have inflicted heavy casualties on Egyptian troops who have been unable to track down the group’s leaders, whose lairs are believed to be in the mountainous central part of Sinai. In the past year alone, some 350 Egyptian soldiers, police officers, and intelligence personnel have been killed in the fight against the organization.

Col. Hen said that the IDF has taken steps to meet the threat and called for residents in the area to continue with their lives as normal.

Israel has cooperated with Egypt in its fight against Ansar Beit al Maqdis, waiving restrictions in the peace treaty with Egypt that prohibit the presence of troops, armored vehicles, and helicopters in the areas close to Israel’s borders. The Egyptian army has beefed up its forces on its side of the border.

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The other threat that Israel could face would be an attack by Muslim Brotherhood and Islamic State supporters in the southern Jordanian trading hub of Maan, Perhaps this warning may be another reason for Israelis to vote for Likud and PM Netanyahu next Tuesday, March 17th.  An attack on Eilat and surrounding vicinity would produce significant economic losses from the tourist trade from Europe.

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2 Responses

  1. I understand Mr. Netanyahu has some stiff opposition in the upcoming election, but I pray that he will be victorious over the liberals. Once he is reelected, he will probably do more than just “brace” Israel for an invasion by ISIS, but will launch a preemptive strike against them and all their facilities. Unleash the full fury of the IDF against the teenage thugs that are creating so much havoc across the region. Making an example of some highly placed ISIS leaders on the “eye for an eye” principle would clip their wings somewhat. Enlisting Christian fighters into the IDF would be a boon–there are hundreds of militias being reactivated here in America and advertising for men; military veterans who feel betrayed by the Obama administration are chomping at the bit. Israel will be able to amass an army such as the world has never seen. Some are quite nearby and ready to go.

  2. And will anyone in the chancelleries of the West, and the foreign offices and State departments, reflect now upon the folly – indeed the madness, and cruelty and self-destructive stupidity – of forcing Israel to give back to the Muslims the Sinai, whether after Israel gained control of Sinai – in the course of defensive warfare – the first time, or the second? Imagine how things would stand now, had Israel instead been permitted – nay, encouraged, and assisted – to keep control of the whole of the Sinai, all the way to the east bank of the Suez Canal. Imagine if grim commonsense had permitted the eviction of all Muslims from Gaza and from the Sinai, into Egypt and/ or Jordan. Imagine Israel in possession of real strategic depth; imagine if there were now, in the Sinai, securely entrenched among the mountains, an American military base, or bases, able to act in concert with the IDF, in any direction as required. Imagine if the east bank of the Suez canal were commanded by a non-Muslim Power, permanently friendly to the rest of the world’s Infidels; whereas now it is not inconceivable that if Al-Sisi were to fall, or even if he doesn’t, mass-murderous Muslim jihadi attacks will be launched – or threatened to be launched – upon Infidel shipping.

    Might have beens. Might have beens. Possibiliities and vital strategic advantage thrown away… merely because a whole slew of infidel powers and their negotiators permitted themselves to be blinded by Jew-hatred and/ or intimidated by the Muslim oil weapon, by Muslim bribes and Muslim threats and clever Muslim taking-advantage of Cold War rivalries, and stupidly, blindly forced the Jews of Israel to give back for nothing – to their permanent and mortal enemies, the Muslims – territory gained from those Muslims in the course of self-defensive warfare.

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