News - Middle East: The Director-General of the Port of Umm al-Rashrash (Eilat), Gideon Golber, has stated that the port remains effectively paralyzed, with no viable solution in sight to restore its operations following months of Yemeni military strikes.

In a radio interview with Israeli station "FM 102," Golber confirmed that all promises made by the Israeli government have failed to change the situation on the ground. He emphasized that the port is still completely out of service, and the damage to its infrastructure remains severe and palpable.

Golber noted that "Israel" urgently needs what he termed a "victory picture" upon the port's reactivation. However, he acknowledged that many commercial ships are now entirely avoiding Israeli ports, resulting in a near-total halt to import and export activities. This disruption has directly impacted internal markets and vital supply chains.

The port chief criticized official statements suggesting an imminent resumption of work, stating they are not based on any realistic plan. He asserted that the crisis is far deeper than mere technical repairs, indicating that international confidence in Israeli ports has plummeted to its lowest level since the start of the Yemeni military operations.

These comments follow Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's recent description of the Yemeni front as a "very serious threat," acknowledging Sana'a's capacity to develop and produce domestically manufactured ballistic missiles and drones, making it a regional force that cannot be ignored.

Analysts observe that the impact of the Yemeni operations has extended beyond the military dimension to the psychological and economic spheres. Yemeni forces have successfully established a deterrence equation, demonstrating that Red Sea security cannot be guaranteed while the conflict in Gaza persists. The paralysis of Eilat Port is seen as a significant manifestation of the economic pressure on the Israeli enemy, with its continued stagnation proving the lasting effectiveness of the strikes, even after hostilities have paused.

The Port of Umm al-Rashrash, "Israel's" gateway to the Red Sea, has been a focal point of economic disruption since the outbreak of the Gaza conflict. In solidarity with Gaza, Yemeni Armed Forces have repeatedly targeted maritime routes and threatened vessels associated with the Israeli enemy, leading to severe operational challenges for the port despite a subsequent cessation of overt attacks.

Analysts note that developments in the Red Sea reflect a substantive shift in maritime deterrence: Yemen’s naval campaign has translated battlefield leverage into economic pressure, compelling the Zionist entity to absorb costs for alternative routes and to seek emergency logistical fixes. The blockade, they say, forces the adversary to pay an economic price for its aggression and siege of Gaza — a burden borne this time through commerce rather than only by military means.