Shipping Companies Raise 'Threat Level' for Vessels Heading to Israeli Ports

"Security groups and the shipping industry" raised the threat level for ships heading to Israeli ports on Friday, October 6. These threats include potential missile attacks from Hezbollah in the Mediterranean Sea and the Houthis in the Red Sea, both supported by the Islamic Republic. The Israeli Ports Authority announced this week that the country’s terminals are operating at normal capacity from the southern port of Eilat in the Red Sea to the northern ports of Haifa in the Mediterranean. However, according to 'Ambrey', a British maritime security company, this week marked the first time that air raid sirens sounded in Haifa following missile fire from Hezbollah in Lebanon, and a drone from Iraqi Islamic resistance militants struck the port of Eilat. Ambrey, in a recommendation released on Friday that is being closely examined by insurers and ship owners, assessed the risks to vessels heading to Israeli ports as 'high'. The company stated that increased Israeli airstrikes or a ground invasion of Lebanon would heighten the likelihood of an attack on Haifa port. Simultaneous actions by Hamas, the Houthis, or Iraqi militants pose a continuous risk of collateral damage to remaining Israeli ports, including Ashdod, Ashkelon, Hadera, and Eilat. The Houthis, backed by the Islamic Republic, claim that their attacks are coordinated in solidarity with Palestinians in the war against Hamas in Gaza. The Houthis have sunk two ships, seized one, and killed at least three sailors in over 70 attacks to date. Shipping and insurance sources indicate that vessels heading to Israeli ports face a broader threat of being targeted by the Houthis in the Red Sea. Leading maritime industry associations, in an updated guideline for the Red Sea released on Friday, stated that ship operators must implement additional security measures to potentially counter Houthi attacks in the Red Sea.