4.5-magnitude quake rattles Eilat area; flights briefly suspended at Ramon Airport

A moderate earthquake struck southern Israel’s Eilat region on Wednesday morning, setting off warning sirens and sparking a temporary closure of the nearby Ramon Airport.

The quake measured 4.5 on the Richter scale, and was assessed to have had an epicenter in the Taba area in Egypt’s Sinai Peninsula, some 30 kilometers (18.5 miles) south of Eilat, according to the Geological Survey of Israel. The hypocenter, or the quake’s underground origin point, was measured at a depth of eight kilometers.

There were no reports of injuries as a result of the earthquake, but minor property damage was reported at Ramon Airport where the tremors shattered several windows.

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The Home Front Command had instructed people in Eilat and surrounding towns in the Arava region to distance themselves from structures.

After the quake, the Israel Airports Authority briefly closed Ramon Airport, saying it had to perform “inspections and infrastructure checks” to ensure safety.

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“Following the completion of the scans and infrastructure checks, Ramon Airport has resumed full operations,” the IAA said in a statement shortly afterward.

The IDF Home Front Command noted Wednesday that 2027 had already been designated as a “year of earthquake preparedness.”

The Home Front Command said it was advancing a “broad national plan to strengthen the home front’s preparedness to deal with a major earthquake.”

“The year 2027 has been designated the year of earthquake preparedness, during which the command will lead a series of training sessions and exercises, culminating in a major national drill,” it said.

The preparations are focusing on three main areas, according to the military: strengthening the preparedness of local authorities with training and drills; force build-up in the command and improving search-and-rescue capabilities; and strengthening the IDF’s preparedness to deal with the consequences of a major earthquake.

Last year, officials told the Knesset Internal Affairs and Environment Committee that Israel remains woefully unprepared for a major earthquake, despite more than 20 years of warnings and repeated state audits highlighting systemic gaps.

Sue Surkes contributed to this report.

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