Hebrew Media: Yemen’s Naval Campaign Forces ‘Eilat’ Port Shutdown, Reshaping Regional Trade

Hebrew media confirmed that Yemenis have been exceptionally successful in achieving their goal of shutting down the port of Umm al-Rashrash, known in Israeli terms as “Eilat,” noting that port activity has dropped by up to 90 percent since October 2023. Both the United States and the Israeli entity have so far failed to find an effective solution.

The Hebrew newspaper Maariv acknowledged in a recent report that the military operations carried out by the Yemeni Armed Forces have significantly impacted the strategic southern maritime gateway of the entity, namely the port of Eilat. The report explained that this blockade has created waves of tension and severe economic repercussions, with the heavy transport sector in southern “Israel” suffering substantial losses due to the port’s shutdown.

The report added that the port’s bank accounts have been frozen due to accumulated taxes, which led to the complete closure of the facility. Losses are now extending to other sectors, as reports indicate that the heavy transport industry in the south has reported massive damage affecting employment, equipment, and cash flow for local companies.

The newspaper quoted Gabi Ben Harush, head of the Israeli Truck Drivers’ Union, as saying that hundreds of drivers from Beersheba and southern “Israel” are now unemployed and unable to move to other regions for work due to distance and their place of residence.

Ben Harush explained that these drivers were a major source of income for both the civilian and military economy, and that dozens of new trucks are now idle, causing direct losses to transport companies estimated at about 150 million shekels annually — approximately 45 million US dollars.

He further pointed out that transport company activity in the south has dropped by 35 percent, with dozens of companies ceasing operations entirely. Many drivers have been placed on forced or unpaid leave, representing additional losses estimated at around 50 million shekels annually.

The head of the Truck Drivers’ Union also noted that the phosphate transport sector is almost at a standstill, with around 500 trucks — previously operated by some 1,500 drivers, most of whom are from the south and Eilat — now completely out of service. He warned that the direct and indirect economic damages caused by the port’s closure amount to hundreds of millions of shekels annually, including halted equipment, lost workforce, and disrupted revenues, stressing that the continued closure of Eilat port poses a major threat not only to security but also to the economy of the entire Israeli entity.

Since November 2023, Yemen’s naval operations in the Red Sea and Arabian Sea have dramatically reshaped maritime trade in the region. By targeting Israeli-linked vessels and imposing an effective blockade on Umm Al-Rashrash Port, Yemen has disrupted one of the Zionist entity’s key trade gateways.

This escalation is part of Yemen’s declared strategy to pressure Israel to end its siege and attacks on Gaza, aligning with broader regional resistance movements. The shutdown has forced major global shipping companies to reroute their vessels around the Cape of Good Hope, significantly increasing costs, extending travel times, and driving up insurance premiums.