“Jerusalem Post”: Challenges Facing Israel in Eilat and the Red Sea.

NYN | Reports and Analysis:

The Jerusalem Post reported that the Israeli government, preoccupied with the war, has not defined objectives regarding maritime routes for commercial ships to and from Israeli ports in the Red Sea. Meanwhile, Israel has accepted the closure of the port of Eilat due to the severe crisis affecting local communities in northern Galilee and Gaza.

According to an article by retired Navy General Shaul Chorev, the Israeli Navy successfully used the “Iron Dome” system installed on the Sa’ar 6 corvette to intercept drones targeting the city of Eilat. However, this success should not lead to the mistaken conclusion that Sa’ar 6 ships operating in the Red Sea should be integrated into the Israeli defense system against missile attacks on Eilat.

The director of the Institute of Maritime Policy and Strategy pointed out three reasons opposing such a conclusion. Firstly, the Iron Dome system was developed for a different scenario. Secondly, the cost-benefit ratio. And thirdly, the assessment that their current operations in the coastal waters of the Gulf of Eilat could expose the ships to danger.

Eilat as the Focus Point

In the current war on Gaza, the Houthis imposed a blockade on shipping to and from Israel in the southern Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden. In response, the Israeli Navy deployed ships in the Red Sea, including Sa’ar 6 corvettes. Tel Aviv also played a covert role in establishing the “Guardian of Prosperity” task force led by the United States, but it chose not to join to allow regional countries to participate.

Currently, Sa’ar 6 corvettes purchased by Israel from Germany are stationed to secure gas platforms in the Mediterranean Sea, northern Red Sea, and the Gulf of Eilat. They have been integrated into the country’s air detection and warning system, according to the writer.

It is expected that Israeli naval ships will still need to secure maritime communication passages in the region, even after the “Guardian of Prosperity” task force led by the United States has succeeded in reducing the Houthi threat to the shipping lane in the southern Red Sea.

It is worth noting that the port of Eilat has always posed a significant risk to Israeli ships, especially naval vessels, due to its proximity to the borders of Egypt, Jordan, and Saudi Arabia, providing an opportunity for hostile groups to launch missile attacks on the city from this area.

However, deploying Sa’ar 6 corvettes to intercept aerial threats in the Eilat area entails significant risks, according to the writer. The use of interceptive missiles against these ships would reduce the number of available interceptive missiles for future missions that the navy may require, such as protecting Israel’s strategic assets in the economic waters of the Mediterranean Sea.

Source: Al Jazeera