Israel’s southern air bases face a growing security challenge from an unusual combination of geography, illegal weapons, drones and potential hostile intelligence activity in the communities surrounding the installations.
By Hezy Laing
Israel is strengthening security around its southern air bases following a failed attack near the British-American RAF Fairford base in England, amid concerns that a similar tactic could be attempted in the Negev.
The British incident on September 27 involved suspects accused of preparing an attack near the military installation, which has been used in operations against Iran.
The episode has focused Israeli attention on a particularly difficult vulnerability: several major air bases are located close to Bedouin communities and scattered encampments in the Negev.
According to Israeli military correspondent Yossi Yehoshua, the IDF is increasing security around southern Air Force bases because of concerns about possible copycat attacks involving Bedouin cells and drones carrying weapons from Egypt.
The concern is not based solely on geography.
Nevatim Air Base, home to F-35 fighter squadrons and other critical aircraft, has already experienced security incidents involving its surrounding area.
On April 27, 2025, gunfire that originated outside the base struck the wing of an Israeli Air Force aircraft after the bullets penetrated the installation.
The incident was followed by additional concerns over drones entering the base and the ability of people living close to the perimeter to observe activity inside the facility.
The scale of the surrounding population adds another dimension.
A recent security assessment warned that an estimated 100,000 to 130,000 illegal weapons are circulating in the Negev, creating a potential pool of weapons that could be exploited by criminal or hostile groups.
The same assessment was prepared by former senior security officials including Ilan Lavi, former head of the Shin Bet’s Southern District, and retired Israel Police Brig. Gen. Moti Edri.
A recent case has already demonstrated the intelligence danger.
In July 2025, Tahani Abu Samhan, a resident of the Bedouin diaspora near Nevatim, was indicted on allegations that she worked for Iranian intelligence and collected information about the base, including photographing aircraft taking off.
The comparison with Fairford is striking.
Britain is dealing with the possibility of hostile actors attempting to reach a military base from outside the immediate security perimeter, while Israel faces the additional challenge of protecting strategic airfields situated within a densely populated and difficult-to-control Negev environment.
For the Israeli Air Force, the stakes are unusually high.
Nevatim, Hatzerim and Ramon are not simply military compounds; they are essential nodes in Israel’s ability to conduct air operations across multiple fronts.
The new security measures therefore reflect a broader concern: an enemy may not need to destroy an air base with missiles if a small armed squad, aided by drones, intelligence or local access, could disrupt its operations from the ground.
