IDF builds marine obstacle in Red Sea
Military speeds up Hourglass project to boost Israel-Egypt border amid rising concerns from Sinai chaos. Obstacle to foil breach attempts by divers, jet skis
Against the backdrop of the unrest in Egypt and growing chaos in the Sinai Peninsula, the IDF is planning to erect a several-dozen-meter tall obstruction on the Red Sea naval border between Eilat and Taba.
The obstruction, the final stage of the Hourglass project to boost the border, will be built in the coming year with Egyptian coordination.
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The area is a sensitive spot, which according to the IDF Adom Division in control of the district, could be breached by a diver or a jet ski.
Marine border between Eilat and Taba (Photo: Yoav Zitun)
Construction vehicles in Eilat Mountains (Photo: Yoav Zitun)
Currently, the area is supervised by Israeli Navy ships, Border Patrol officers from a nearby base and other observation posts, both stationery and mobile.
Completed segments of border fence (Photo: Yoav Zitun)
Egyptian post near fence (Photo: Yoav Zitun)
In addition, due to rising concern of rocket fire, detection and alert systems have been connected to sirens spread around Eilat, after a Grad rocket fired from Sinai last week did not start the sirens, as it fell in an open terrain north of the city.
At the same time, construction of the new border fence between Israel and Egypt is on its last and most complicated stage – breaking through 15 kilometers of cliffs, valleys and crevices in the Eilat Mountains.
So far, only 60% of the last stretch have been completed and it is estimated to be completed during the first quarter of next year.
In the still unobstructed segments, special forces are at work to thwart the infiltration of terrorists and smugglers.
According to the IDF, over the last year, dozens of smuggling attempts have been thwarted, thanks in part to the new fence and to dramatic improvement in the observation capabilities in the area.
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