This page is subject to the extended confirmed restriction related to the Arab-Israeli conflict.Eilat (/eɪˈlɑːt/ ay-LAHT, UK also /eɪˈlæt/ ay-LAT; Hebrew: אֵילַת [eˈlat] ⓘ; Arabic: إِيلَات, romanized: Īlāt) is Israel's southernmost city, with a population of 53,151,[1] a busy port and popular resort at the northern tip of the Red Sea, on what is known in Israel as the Gulf of Eilat and in Jordan as the Gulf of Aqaba.

The city also offers opportunities for hiking and exploration in nearby natural reserves like Timna Valley Park and the Eilat Mountains.

[2] The name Eilat was given to the abandoned frontier post of Umm al-Rashrāsh (أم الرشراش) in 1949 by the Committee for the Designation of Place-Names in the Negev, referring to Elath, a location in the vicinity mentioned multiple times in the Hebrew Bible, notably as a station during the Israelites' exodus from Egypt, a site where King Solomon built ships, which was later rebuilt by Uzziah of Judah.

[4] The geology and landscape are varied: igneous and metamorphic rocks, sandstone and limestone; mountains up to 892 metres (2,927 ft) above sea level; broad valleys such as the Arava, and seashore on the Gulf of Aqaba.

"The main elements that influenced the region's history were the copper resources and other minerals, the ancient international roads that crossed the area, and its geopolitical and strategic position.

"[5] Archaeological excavations uncovered impressive prehistoric (Neolithic) tombs dating to the 7th millennium BC at the western edge of Eilat, while nearby copper workings and mining operations at Timna Valley are one of the oldest on earth.

[7] It dealt in agriculture, copper mining and smelting, as well as trading with pilgrims by taking advantage of the adjacent Darb el-Hajj ('Way of the Hajj') route in the 8th century CE.

During the 1948 Arab-Israeli War, the abandoned police post, which consisted of five clay huts, was taken without a fight on March 10, 1949, as part of Operation Uvda.

Eilat Airport was built in 1949 and individual ships began arriving in the 1950s, but as there were no dedicated port facilities they unloaded their goods at sea.

In the early 1950s, Eilat was a small and remote town, populated largely by port workers, soldiers, and former prisoners.

This made Eilat and its sea port crucial to Israel's communications, commerce and trade with Africa and Asia, and for oil imports.

Without recourse to a port on the Red Sea Israel would have been unable to develop its diplomatic, cultural and trade ties beyond the Mediterranean basin and Europe.

This happened in 1956 and again in 1967, when Egypt's closure of the Straits of Tiran to Israeli shipping effectively blockaded the port of Eilat.

In 1956, this led to Israel's participation alongside Britain and France in the war against Egypt sparked by the Suez Crisis, while in 1967, 90% of Israeli oil passed through the Straits of Tiran.

[13][14] The straits' closure was cited by Israel as an additional casus belli leading to the outbreak of the Six-Day War.

It is a reservist special forces unit of the IDF trained in counter-terrorism and hostage rescue in the Eilat area, which has taken part in many counter-terrorist missions in the region since its formation in 1974.

The Lotar unit is composed solely of reservists, citizens who must be Eilat residents between the ages of 20 and 60, who are on call in case of a terrorist attack on the city.

[42] In 2010, a new student dormitory was funded and built by the Jewish Federation of Toronto, the Rashi Foundation, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev and the municipality of Eilat.

Special services geared to the Red Sea region are a hyperbaric chamber to treat victims of diving accidents and kidney dialysis facilities open to vacationing tourists.

In part due to the comparatively long travel times, there are different booking procedures for buses to Eilat, including the option of advance reservations.

In recent years Eilat has been the target of militants from Egypt and Gaza causing a reduced tourist inflow to the region.

The coral reefs along Eilat's coast remain relatively pristine and the area is recognized as one of the prime diving locations in the world.