Desert Marathon in southern Israel draws thousands of runners as Eilat looks to boost tourism

The Eilat Desert Marathon 2025, set for Nov. 28 in Israel’s southernmost city, is expected to draw thousands of runners from across the country and around the world. Now in its 15th year, the event has become a major fixture on Israel’s athletic calendar.

Participants will run along rugged trails in the dramatic Arava Valley, near Israel’s border with Jordan, with sweeping views of the Edom Mountains and the Gulf of Eilat.

Ofer Padan, CEO of Marathon Israel, welcomed the strong international turnout.

“The Desert Marathon in Eilat is much more than a sporting event – it’s a celebration of nature, running, and community,” Padan said. “As we mark 15 years, we invite all runners to experience the magic of the desert, the international atmosphere, and Eilat’s warm embrace.”

In addition to a full marathon of about 42 kilometers (a little over 26 miles), there will also be a half-marathon, a 10-kilometer race and a 5-kilometer race.

Local authorities are hoping the marathon will boost international tourism to Eilat. City Mayor Eli Lankri is expected to join the participants. Ahead of the event, Lankri said that the competition “connects sports, landscape, and tourism, and puts Eilat on the map of international sporting events.”

Eilat normally ranks as one of Israel’s leading tourist towns. However, following the Hamas Oct. 7 massacre in 2023, the Iranian-backed Houthi terror group in Yemen began attacking Israel with ballistic missiles and drones. Eilat became a major target for the Houthi attacks since it is the closest Israeli city to Yemen geographically.

Israel’s multilayered aerial defense system intercepted the large majority of the Houthi aerial launches, however, some missiles and drones got through Israel’s aerial defenses.

In September, a Houthi drone struck a hotel in Eilat without causing any injuries or serious damage.

Israel has responded to the Houthi attacks with multiple large-scale aerial bombings of strategic targets in Yemen and has eliminated multiple Houthi leaders.

Following the Houthi attack on the Eilat hotel, Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz vowed that the Houthi regime would eventually fall and be replaced by a Yemeni government that embraces peace with the Jewish state.

“The slogan, ‘Death to Israel, curse upon the Jews’ written on the Houthi flag, will be replaced by the blue-and-white Israeli flag that will fly in the capital of united Yemen,” Katz said at the time.

A few days later, 20 Israelis were injured in another Houthi drone strike in Eilat, with two reportedly in serious condition.

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