Israeli Admission of Defeat in the Face of the Yemeni Blockade
Complete paralysis strikes Umm Al-Rashrash Port, with an official acknowledgment of its economic collapse
NYN | Reports and Analyses
The Hebrew newspaper Yedioth Ahronoth revealed, in an extensive report published on Monday, January 12, 2026, that Umm Al-Rashrash Port—referred to by the occupation as “Eilat”—has reached a stage of complete paralysis, confirming that the port is on the brink of permanent closure as a result of the naval blockade and continued Yemeni strikes over the two years of support for Gaza.
Official acknowledgment: Yemen determines the fate of the occupation’s southern port
The newspaper quoted a frank admission by the chairman of the port’s board, Avi Hormaro, who acknowledged that the Yemenis have effectively become the decision-makers regarding the port’s future, stating:
“Yemen is the one that decides today whether the occupation entity has a southern port or not.”
The report described this statement as an official death certificate for the port, an unprecedented acknowledgment of the scale of the impact caused by Yemeni operations in the Red Sea.
From an economic artery to deserted docks
The newspaper painted a bleak picture of conditions inside the port, noting its transformation from a vital logistics hub into a nearly abandoned facility, where:
Annual revenues declined from approximately 240 million shekels to almost zero.
Commercial shipping and car-carrier traffic came to a complete halt.
Workers now report daily to the port with no actual activity, amid fears of mass layoffs.
“Embarrassing” aid and a stifling labor crisis
The report stated that government assistance estimated at 15 million shekels was described by the port’s management as “embarrassing” and sufficient to cover operating expenses for only a few weeks.
It also pointed to the collapse of agreements with the workers’ union (the Histadrut), which itself is facing internal corruption scandals, further exacerbating social instability within the port.
Stages of collapse: from maritime control to legal shutdown
The newspaper identified several key milestones that led to this collapse, most notably:
November 2023: The onset of real deterioration following Yemeni forces’ seizure of a ship linked to the occupation, prompting major shipping companies such as ZIM and NYK to permanently suspend their routes.
July 2025: The legal and financial shutdown of the port after the Umm Al-Rashrash municipality froze its accounts due to mounting debts.
January 2026: The Ministry of Finance and the Ministry of Transport refused to extend the port’s operating concession, a move described as an administrative “coup de grâce.”
Strategic losses: a blow to the economy and national security
The report affirmed that the Yemeni naval blockade succeeded in achieving its objectives by:
Draining the occupation’s revenues from customs and port fees.
Causing the loss of a port that had previously received around 150,000 cars annually before the war.
Depriving the occupation entity of its only outlet to the Red Sea, rendering it fully dependent on Mediterranean ports (Haifa and Ashdod), which themselves face threats from other fronts.
Logistical isolation and international failure to break the blockade
The newspaper noted the failure of all international attempts to secure vessels heading to Umm Al-Rashrash, confirming—according to the report—the effectiveness of the “support equation” imposed by Sana’a in response to the aggression against Gaza.
Israeli conclusion: the port is a certain loss
The report concluded that the Israeli government has come to view Umm Al-Rashrash Port as a financial burden and a guaranteed loss it is unwilling to continue bearing—an outcome analysts described as a major strategic victory for Sana’a in the war of “economic pressure points.”
