News - Middle East: Economic expert Salim Al-Ja'dabi stated that the Yemeni Armed Forces’ decision to impose a naval blockade on Haifa Port poses a comprehensive threat to the Israeli enemy’s vital economic and military sectors, warning that any targeting of the port and its facilities would deal a lethal blow to the Israeli economy.

In an exclusive interview with Al-Masirah, Al-Ja'dabi said the Yemeni move toward Haifa came as a shocking surprise to the Zionist enemy, as the port houses a diverse range of economic and strategic facilities. Since Israel relies on it for 99 percent of its imports and exports, attacking the port would expand the scope of losses across all sectors.

On the economic front, Al-Ja'dabi explained that a direct strike on Haifa and the withdrawal of international shipping companies could result in annual Israeli losses exceeding $75 billion—$30 billion in export revenue and $45 billion in imports.

He noted that the port includes massive storage for oil and gas, meaning its destruction would plunge Israel into severe supply and energy crises, including widespread power outages due to its reliance on Haifa’s refineries and fuel storage for power generation.

He emphasized that Israel’s critical petrochemical industries would also suffer, and any strike on the Karish gas field—central to the Israeli economy—would amount to systematic economic destruction.

Regarding the IMF’s strategic gas reserves stored at Haifa, Al-Ja'dabi held Netanyahu’s government fully responsible for compensating affected companies and stakeholders.

He also revealed that Haifa handles 30 million tons of grain annually, warning of a looming food crisis if the port is shut down.

With Eilat Port already closed, Haifa is Israel’s last maritime outlet, making its inclusion in Yemen’s target list a significant pressure point.

Militarily, Al-Ja'dabi said Haifa is not merely a civilian port—it hosts military bases, submarines, and weapons depots, making it a legitimate military target. The port also facilitates the import of American and Western arms.

He added that settlers in Haifa are expressing deep concern over the potential targeting of the port, calling it a “ticking time bomb” due to the presence of ammonia tanks and highly explosive materials.

Al-Ja'dabi described the port as a “booby-trapped zone,” where even a minor strike could lead to a catastrophic disaster.

He predicted that international shipping firms will begin pulling out of Haifa, especially following early fallout from Yemen’s blockade announcement.

Within just one hour of the statement, Rafael Advanced Defense Systems’ stock reportedly fell by 4 percent. Al-Ja'dabi said Israel’s economic troubles are mounting under the aerial blockade, and the new maritime restrictions will deepen the crisis—citing sharp increases in basic commodity prices.

He warned that Netanyahu’s government could face political and financial scandals over shady port deals if international firms seek compensation or withdraw assets.

Finally, he stated that global companies are likely to disengage from Haifa, recognizing the seriousness of Yemeni threats, and insurance premiums for shipping to the port have already spiked.

On Monday, Yemeni Armed Forces spokesman Brigadier General Yahya Sare'e announced the intention to enforce a maritime blockade on Haifa Port in occupied Palestine, similar to the one imposed on the Zionist Port of Umm Al-Rashrash (Eilat), leading to a complete shutdown of operations there.

This latest move comes after Yemen’s success in enforcing an aerial blockade on Lod Airport (Ben Gurion), as part of its broader effort to impose a suffocating siege on the Zionist enemy and isolate it from the rest of the world—until the aggression ends and the siege on Gaza is lifted.