News - Yemen: Field reports and military data indicate that the Yemeni Armed Forces have successfully turned the naval blockade against the Israeli enemy into a sustained, long-term strategic deterrent, forcing the government of Netanyahu to admit its inability to reopen the port of Umm al-Rashrash (Eilat) or restore maritime shipping operations.

Hebrew-language reports, cited by the newspaper Calcalist, confirm that Umm al-Rashrash remains closed as shipping companies continue to avoid crossing the Red Sea to the port, exacerbating the economic losses of the enemy and disrupting a vital commercial and strategic lifeline.

The reports note that all Israeli attempts to resume port operations have failed, including efforts to persuade international shipping companies to return to Israeli ports.

According to the newspaper, in a desperate bid to contain the crisis, the port authorities and the “government” approached diplomatic channels, requesting Washington’s intervention to include the Yemeni blockade in the Sharm el-Sheikh agreement. However, this attempt also produced no tangible results, highlighting the enemy’s strategic and diplomatic failure.

Field data shows that the current logistical paralysis is not incidental but the result of Yemen’s deterrent capability, which has expanded to cover a broader operational theater in the Red Sea. This has transformed maritime risks into a persistent factor, directly impacting shipping routes and undermining the operational and economic capacity of the port and the Israeli enemy alike.

Since late 2023, Yemeni forces have intensified maritime operations against shipping lanes and facilities linked to the Israeli enemy, prompting major shipping companies to avoid transit through the Red Sea toward Israeli ports. This has caused a sustained decline in activity at Umm al-Rashrash, resulting in mounting operational losses. 

Attempts by Israeli authorities to mitigate the situation through diplomatic or economic measures have failed, illustrating a shift from a tactical confrontation to a long-term strategic deterrence imposed by Yemen.