NYN | News
Israel is set to completely shut down the Port of Eilat starting next Sunday, according to Hebrew media reports, amid the ongoing naval blockade imposed by Sanaa’s forces as part of their operations in support of Gaza.
Channel 12 News reported on Tuesday that the port will cease all operational and commercial activities after months of financial decline and Yemeni naval attacks that have paralyzed its functions and stripped it of its role as a strategic facility on the Red Sea.
Despite recently receiving an emergency grant of 15 million shekels from the Israeli government in an attempt to rescue it from financial collapse, the funding was insufficient to meet its obligations or revive even minimal commercial activity, especially with continued Yemeni strikes preventing any ships from docking for months.
The Israeli news site Walla commented: “The Houthis have won, and the Port of Eilat will shut down completely,” in a direct acknowledgment of Israel’s loss of its southern gateway after the failure of all military and economic efforts to revive or secure it.
The closure marks the first full and permanent shutdown of an Israeli maritime facility due to indirect military action, reflecting the significant impact of Yemen’s naval deterrence operations on Israeli shipping routes since the war on Gaza began in October 2023.
