Israel’s Eilat port sees 85% decline in activity amid Houthi attacks
Jerusalem (QNN) – The Israeli seaport of Eilat in the farthest south of occupied Palestine has experienced an 85 percent decline in activity following heightened attacks on Israeli-linked shipping in the Red Sea by Yemen’s Houthi-led Ansarallah movement, as revealed by the port’s authority.
In November, Ansarallah announced its intention to target any ship affiliated with Israel in the Red Sea until Israel permits the delivery of desperately needed food and fuel aid into the besieged Gaza Strip.
Yemen's Houthi movement says they have targeted an Israel-bound Norwegian-owned ship with an anti-ship cruise missile at Bab al-Mandab Strait.
The Houthis said the ship was carrying oil to Israel, adding that they only struck the ship after it ignored repeated warnings. pic.twitter.com/AViEkDi0r1
— Quds News Network (@QudsNen) December 12, 2023
Eilat Port was among the first affected ports, as shipping companies diverted vessels to avoid the Red Sea after Ansarallah disrupted the trade route through the Bab al-Mandab Strait, as reported by Reuters.
CEO Gideon Golber informed Reuters that the closure of Bab al-Mandab essentially blocks the primary shipping route to Eilat Port, resulting in an 85% reduction in overall activity.
While smaller than Israel’s Haifa and Ashdod ports on the Mediterranean coast, which handle the majority of the trade of the occupying state, Eilat provides Israel with a gateway to the East without the need to traverse the Suez Canal. Golber expressed concerns, stating, “Unfortunately, if it continues we will reach a situation of zero ships in Eilat Port.”
Ansarallah recently attacked two ships, including a Norwegian-owned tanker. Major shipping companies, such as BP, Evergreen, Mediterranean Shipping Company (MSC), Maersk, and Hapag-Lloyd, have suspended navigation through the Red Sea. An alternative route circumvents the southern tip of Africa, extending voyages to the Mediterranean by two to three weeks, incurring additional costs, according to Israeli officials.
In response to Ansarallah’s operations, the United States and some allies formed a new military force to patrol the Red Sea. However, no influential Arab countries have joined the alliance, and the success of the initiative remains uncertain given Ansarallah’s growing military capabilities.
#BREAKING| #US Defense Secretary Austin announced a new international task force to "protect shipping from Houthi attacks in the Red Sea".
The group will be called "Operation Prosperity Guardian" and includes the UK, Bahrain, Canada, France, Italy, Netherlands, Norway,… pic.twitter.com/dq8BLCeHEN
— Quds News Network (@QudsNen) December 18, 2023
Mohammed Al-Bukhaiti, a member of the Ansarallah politburo, asserted that the group could confront any coalition formed by the US in the Red Sea. Al-Bukhaiti emphasized that the group would only cease its attacks if Israel halts its genocide in Gaza and allows essential supplies to reach the besieged population.
According to Gaza’s Ministry of Health, Israel’s ongoing atrocities in Gaza since October 7 have resulted in 20,050 Palestinians killed and 53,320 wounded, with estimates indicating a majority of casualties are women and children.
