Yemen: By mid-2023, the Umm al-Rashrash port (Eilat) was a cornerstone of the Israeli occupation economy.

Commercial Boom of Eilat

The commercial boom of the port of Eilat transformed the city of the same name into the most important tourist destination in the Zionist entity.

Collapse of Imports and Exports

The port of Eilat is the main hub for the Israeli occupation's imports and exports to and from Asia and Africa, handling the Zionist entity's needs for oil, timber, construction materials, foodstuffs, and vehicles.

Through the port of Eilat, about 5% of Israel's trade and nearly 50% of its vehicle trade passes, with the port handling two million and one hundred thousand tons of dry goods, 70,000 cars, and 50,000 containers annually. Phosphates, potash, metals, and ores are exported through it, and Israel imports its needs through it.

Military Importance

In addition to its economic role, the port of Eilat holds special military and security importance for the occupation forces, as it can accommodate warships near the southern fronts, ready to face incoming strikes from that direction.

Yemen’s Impact

However, since November 2023, the situation in the port and city of Eilat has dramatically changed. Previously, alongside its commercial and tourist prosperity, Eilat was a safe haven for settlers during confrontations with Palestinian and Lebanese resistance. But the port of Eilat has faced severe strikes from Yemen, unlike anything Eilat has seen before, losing its prosperity and security.

Yemen's Siege on Israel’s Prosperity

The port of Eilat was directly hit by missiles and drones from Yemen. In response to U.S. pressures on international shipping companies to continue their routes to Eilat, Sanaa declared on November 19 a ban on ships connected to Israel from passing through the Red Sea, using force if necessary. Yemen's operations gradually expanded to include the Arabian Sea, the Indian Ocean, and eventually the Mediterranean Sea, in retaliation for the genocide and war crimes of starvation against the Palestinian people in Gaza by the Zionist killing machine, openly supported by the United States and Western governments.

Escalating Crisis for Israel

The United States has failed to convince shipping companies to continue transporting goods to the Israeli occupation port in Eilat amidst Yemen's imposed blockade, leading Washington to announce a military coalition to protect ships heading to the "Israeli" port. However, the coalition gathered by Washington and London, along with the "Aspeedus" coalition formed by European countries, failed to provide the required safety for ships heading to the port of Eilat through the Red Sea.

Military Failure

The commander of the USS Carney confirmed on Monday that "U.S. forces have not been able to counter Yemen’s maritime attacks," adding to a long list of statements from U.S. military officials about the inability to confront Yemen's maritime attacks.

Increasing Israeli Anxiety

The Israeli newspaper "i24" revealed on Monday the increasing concerns of Israeli intelligence about the escalation of Yemeni operations in support of Gaza reaching the Mediterranean Sea, including the use of unmanned boats in maritime attacks against ships violating Yemen’s imposed blockade on Israel.

The report stated, "Israeli intelligence services are increasingly concerned about the opening of a new front against Israel, this time in the Mediterranean Sea, according to details allowed to be disclosed by Israeli security services."

The report quoted a knowledgeable source in Israeli intelligence, stating, "The threat is not limited to the port of Eilat and the Red Sea but extends to off the Israeli Mediterranean coast."

The site noted, "Recent intelligence indicates that Yemenis have begun expanding their influence in North Africa, Sudan, Egypt, and Morocco with the intention of taking action against Israel from these areas," suggesting that "fighters and weapons may be transferred from Yemen to these countries to threaten Israel in the Strait of Gibraltar."

The maritime military operations by Yemen against Israeli ships had a significant economic impact, causing an almost complete halt to ships arriving at the Israeli port of Eilat, according to the American site "Axios." The Eilat port administration confirmed that Yemen's strikes caused an 85% shutdown of the port and the layoff of 50% of the port's workers by last May.