Hebrew Media Admits: Yemen Achieved a Strategic Victory… Port of “Eilat” Paralyzed, Workers Threatened with Layoffs
Hebrew reports and admissions from within the Knesset confirm the failure of the Israeli government to rescue the Port of “Eilat” following the Yemeni naval blockade, amid mounting economic losses and shipping companies’ refusal to return to the port.
NYN | Reports and Analyses
Hebrew media outlets and official reports issued from within the Israeli Knesset have acknowledged that the complete paralysis of the Port of Umm al-Rashrash—known in Israel as “Eilat”—constitutes a real and strategic victory for Yemen, following the naval operations carried out by Yemeni forces against shipping linked to the occupying entity in the Red Sea since November 2023.
Economic Losses and Government Failure to Rescue the Port
The Hebrew website Walla reported that the Yemeni naval blockade has inflicted severe damage on the revenues of the Port of Eilat and contributed to the decline of its economic and strategic standing, noting the Israeli government’s failure to implement any effective rescue plan, despite repeated discussions of the issue within the Knesset Finance Committee over recent months.
The site added that global shipping companies continue to refuse to resume operations at the port, even after the ceasefire in the Gaza Strip, reflecting the depth of the crisis and a loss of confidence in the ability to secure shipping routes.
Ministries Without Solutions and Threat of Worker Layoffs
During a new session of the Knesset Finance Committee, it emerged—according to Maariv newspaper—that the Ministries of Transport, Finance, and Economy had presented no practical solutions to save the port, while the Ministry of Finance had reneged on its previous commitments to provide the necessary funding.
The newspaper noted that the port has completely ceased operations, with the exception of limited activity by a security boat, a situation that threatens the jobs of around 130 workers with layoffs amid the absence of any prospect for resolving the crisis.
Explicit Admission: “Yemen Has the Right to Declare Victory”
In a striking admission, the Chairman of the Knesset Finance Committee, Hanoch Milwidsky, acknowledged the failure of Israeli authorities to deal with the repercussions of the port’s closure, stating:
“We have failed with regard to the Port of Eilat, and Yemen has the right to declare victory.”
Observers believe that this official acknowledgment reflects the scale of the impact caused by Yemeni operations in the Red Sea, stressing that their consequences have gone beyond the military dimension to constitute a direct economic blow deep inside the occupying entity, affecting one of its most important seaports and strategic sources of revenue.
