News - Middle East: American media outlets have pointed to the impact of Yemeni military operations on the port of Umm al-Rashrash, known in Israel as "Eilat."

The American newspaper confirmed that the Ports and Navigation Authority of the Zionist Transportation Ministry stated that on July 16, the port of "Eilat" would suspend all operations starting July 20.

Hebrew media described the situation as a "dramatic move" that would undermine the entity’s maritime logistics in the Red Sea, emphasizing that the port is "burdened with debt."

The Cradle reported that following the shutdown of Umm al-Rashrash port’s ongoing operations and the economic crisis it has faced due to the prolonged blockade, the "Eilat" municipality informed port authorities of the seizure of all the port’s bank accounts over unpaid municipal debts. The newspaper added: "Activities at the port of Eilat have nearly ground to a halt since the Yemeni Armed Forces imposed a naval blockade on Israel in November 2023."

It revealed that half of the cars imported into the occupied territories are usually unloaded at the port of Umm al-Rashrash, but shipments are now being diverted to other ports. The report confirmed that over 130 ships docked at the port in 2023, compared to only 16 ships the following year. From the beginning of 2025 until mid-May, only six ships have docked there.

The American newspaper stated that the income of Umm al-Rashrash port dropped in 2024 to just 42 million shekels ($12.5 million), an 80% decline from 212 million shekels ($63 million) in 2023, after shipping was redirected to the Mediterranean ports of Ashdod and Haifa.

The Marker noted that the port’s closure would halt the minimal remaining activity—limited phosphate exports and naval vessel services—adding that "the port cannot operate at full capacity until Red Sea shipping resumes with the removal of the Yemeni threat, which led to mass layoffs of workers at the port of Eilat last year."

It further reported that during the first four months of the Zionist aggression on Gaza and about two months of the Yemeni naval blockade, revenues at Umm al-Rashrash port fell by 80%, as the Yemeni Armed Forces escalated their maritime operations against Zionist interests.

On the other hand, the British website Middle East Eye reported on July 16 that the enemy entity has been in contact with marine insurance companies regarding war risk coverage for ships with indirect ties to "Israel," fearing that Yemen’s successive operations in the Red Sea could harm navigation traffic at the port of Haifa.

According to Zionist reports, the Israeli enemy is pressuring Washington to resume aggression against Yemen and form a broad coalition to end the threat posed by the Yemeni Armed Forces against the criminal entity.

Since November 2023, Yemen has declared that its military operations in the Red Sea and Arabian Sea aim to support the Palestinian people in Gaza amid the ongoing Israeli aggression. These operations primarily target Israeli-linked vessels or ships bound for occupied ports, as part of an “economic blockade” to pressure Israel to end its siege and attacks on Gaza. 

Western powers and their allies have attempted to maintain control over these waters through joint naval missions, framing their efforts under the banner of protecting “freedom of navigation.” However, they faild to counter Yemeni Armed Forces’ attacks—stretching from the Bab al-Mandab Strait to the Gulf of Aden.