---
title: "UFO hunters search for alien encounters on Israel's Mediterranean coast"
url: "https://usubjects.com/article/ufo-hunters-search-for-alien-encounters-on-israels-mediterranean-coast-4378"
updated: "2026-10-25T16:12:27.753Z"
description: "UFO investigators visited Israel’s Iris Nature Reserve near Netanya to search for alleged anomalous phenomena and practice CE5 meditation, following a brief sighting of a flickering light that may have been an airplane. A local wildlife expert accompanying the group said he had seen drones and animals but no UFOs, while participants remained uncertain about claims that the site has special significance."
sources: ["https://www.ynetnews.com/travel/article/r1jjmp53zl"]
licence: "All rights reserved"
---

# UFO hunters search for alien encounters on Israel's Mediterranean coast

Published: 2026-10-25  
Source: [Tavily AI](https://www.ynetnews.com/travel/article/r1jjmp53zl)

### Overview

A group of UFO investigators gathered after dark at Israel’s Iris Nature Reserve near Netanya, searching for evidence of anomalous phenomena at a coastal location known among enthusiasts as **“Alien Hill.”** The site, a rugged cliff overlooking the Mediterranean Sea north of Tel Aviv, has acquired a reputation in local UFO circles as a place where unusual sightings may occur.

The expedition, documented by *ynetnews*, combined skywatching, photography and **CE5 meditation**—a practice whose followers believe focused meditation can help initiate contact with extraterrestrial intelligence. Participants said they were exploring claims that the reserve holds special significance, although no scientific evidence establishing such a connection was presented.

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### A Brief, Ambiguous Sighting

During a filmed interview at the reserve, a point of light appeared on the horizon and moved rapidly from south to north before seeming to stop in front of the group. The sighting immediately drew the attention of the investigators, who began recording it with phones and cameras.

Yoram Torbatian, a 69-year-old defense-industry retiree and longtime UFO enthusiast, said the light resembled an object he had previously filmed at the same location on Sept. 3. “I think we’re seeing the same unidentified flying object I saw and filmed right here,” he told the group.

When asked whether he was certain the object was not an airplane, Torbatian estimated that he was **“90 percent”** confident. He then addressed the light directly, saying: “Our brothers from space, if you could come closer, we’d be happy to see you.”

The apparent changes in the light’s color also generated excitement. Wildlife photographer Lior Abulafia examined footage on his phone and described what he saw as a shifting display of red and green light. “I’ve never seen anything like this,” he said, while acknowledging the limits of his interpretation in the darkness.

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### Alternative Explanations

Not everyone in the group interpreted the sighting as evidence of an unidentified craft. Omri Gilkis, a 38-year-old multidisciplinary artist who practices CE5 meditation, suggested that the light could have been the headlamp of an approaching aircraft. “If the light is coming directly toward us, it could be an airplane and we’re seeing its headlight,” Gilkis said. “Judging by the angle of the light, I think it’s an ordinary airplane.”

Torbatian ultimately reached the same conclusion, albeit reluctantly. “It was probably an airplane, not an unexplained phenomenon,” he said.

A local wildlife expert accompanying the expedition likewise reported seeing familiar activity—including drones and animals—but **no UFOs**. His observations provided an additional reminder that unusual lights in a coastal environment can have conventional explanations, particularly near populated areas and air routes.

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### What the Visit Demonstrated

The expedition ended without verified evidence of extraterrestrial activity. The sighting remained unresolved on site, and the participants themselves expressed uncertainty about whether the reserve is genuinely associated with unusual phenomena.

The episode illustrates the challenge of investigating UFO reports: brief observations made at night can be compelling to witnesses but difficult to identify without reliable data on distance, speed, altitude and atmospheric conditions. **A striking light may be unexplained in the moment without being extraterrestrial.** For now, the Iris Nature Reserve’s “Alien Hill” reputation rests on anecdotal accounts and personal experiences rather than independently confirmed findings.

## Provenance

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