A deadly Yemeni strike: What does imposing the blockade on the Port of Haifa mean after closing Eilat?

Follow ups – Al-Khabar Al-Yemeni:

Analysis: Yahya Mohammed Al-Sharafi

Since Sana’a announced in October 2023 the imposition of a maritime blockade on Israeli ships and those heading to the occupation through the Red Sea, the Israeli occupation entity has entered into a suffocating commercial and economic crisis that continues to worsen today.

As Yemen continues to implement its threats and deprive “Israel” of its southern maritime outlet through the port of Umm Rashrash, known in Israel as “Eilat,” the entire pressure has shifted towards the northern ports, foremost of which is the port of Haifa, which has become the remaining most important maritime artery for the occupation.

But the strategic question that many observers are raising today after Sana’a’s announcement of imposing a maritime blockade on the occupation in the port of Haifa is, what does the maritime blockade on the port of Haifa mean? And what is the importance of this port to the economy and security of the occupation?

The Port of Haifa: The Northern Lung of “Israeli” Trade:

The port of Haifa is located on the northern coast of occupied Palestine and is considered one of the oldest, largest, and most developed ports of occupied Palestine in relation to the occupation. This port currently constitutes the backbone of shipping and trade activity, as more than 50% of the occupation’s maritime imports and exports pass through it.

Since the closure of the port of Eilat, a large part of the containers and commercial transport has moved to the port of Haifa, which has witnessed massive expansions with Chinese financing and foreign expertise to develop its infrastructure.

The Chinese “Shanghai International Ports” Group operates a large part of the operations in the new port adjacent to the old port, making it a strategic point not only for the occupation but also for foreign investments.

The port of Haifa receives ships coming from Europe and the US and is also used as a main outlet for oil, liquefied gas, containers, and military equipment. It has become doubly vital after depriving “Israel” of safe passage through the Bab Al-Mandeb towards Asia.

The Toughest Scenario: Closing Haifa?

The occupation has a common saying that “Jerusalem prays, Tel Aviv sings, and Haifa works,” and the imposition of a maritime ban on the port of Haifa by the Yemeni Armed Forces after the success of the maritime ban on the port of Eilat would effectively mean choking the occupation economically and paralyzing its ability to export and import, especially since the other port of Ashdod, south of Haifa, does not have the full capacity to accommodate the volume of operations taking place in Haifa, and it is also more exposed to potential missile attacks from the Gaza Strip or Lebanon.

Estimates indicate that more than 90% of Israeli foreign trade is conducted by sea, and with the absence of Eilat and the collapse of trade from the Red Sea, targeting the port of Haifa will close the last vital maritime outlet for “Israel” and push it towards a comprehensive logistical crisis.

As for the land alternatives through Jordan, they are impossible due to the lack of possibility of transporting goods by land, as many of them can only be transported by water, especially shipments of oil derivatives and bulk goods, and the Cypriot or Greek ports are too far away and can’t meet the daily needs of the “Israeli” entity. Air transport can’t compensate for maritime transport in terms of volume or cost, in addition to the fact that there is essentially a Yemeni decision to ban air navigation at the most important airport of the occupation, which is Lod Airport “Ben Gurion.”

Strategic Exposure to Powerful Adversaries:

Targeting the port of Haifa—or even threatening it—means that the occupation has become completely exposed from the north as well as the south. With the repetition of the Yemeni experience in Umm Rashrash “Eilat” through threatening the navigation heading to Haifa, if “Israel” finds itself in complete maritime isolation.

This exposure not only threatens the economy but also weakens Israel’s image as a regional power and strengthens the centers of power hostile to it in the region, especially the axis of resistance, which has proven its ability to overturn the equation at sea as it did on land.

The Message: The Sword of the Sea May Precede the Sword of Fire:

Given the continuation of Yemeni naval operations with a comprehensive ban on Eilat and Sana’a’s warnings against navigation through the port of Haifa in response to the occupation’s escalation against the Palestinian people in the Gaza Strip, the entity has been slowly becoming besieged by sea, after it has already lost one of its major ports, Eilat,” and now its second, main, and most important port, Haifa, is teetering on the brink of loss.

Yemen imposing an embargo on the port of Haifa will not be just an “escalation” but a strategic strike that will effectively end the occupation’s ability to withstand economically and militarily. With every ship prevented from docking in Haifa, the entity is closer to collapse from within.