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The maritime industry is a threat to Israeli ports

The maritime security industry and other groups have raised the level of risk for ships visiting Israeli ports. Terminals could be targeted by missiles fired from the Hezbollah group in the Mediterranean or the Houthis of Yemen in the Red Sea.

The Israeli port authority released a letter earlier this week stating that all terminals, from Eilat in the south on the Red Sea up to Haifa's major Mediterranean port in the north of Israel, were operating at full capacity.

According to British maritime security firm Ambrey, the Islamic Resistance in Iraq (IRI) militia launched a drone that hit the port of Eilat, causing the first sirens in Haifa in several months.

Ambrey, in an advisory that was published on Friday and closely monitored by shipowners and insurers, said it rated the risk of vessels visiting Israeli ports as "elevated".

Ambrey stated that "potentially further escalating Israeli airstrikes, or an Israeli land incursion (in Lebanon), would very likely lead to direct operations against Haifa Port."

"Simultaneous actions by Hamas or Houthi militants and Iraqi militants put Israel's remaining port (Ashdod Ashkelon Hadera Eilat at constant risk of collateral damages in single long-range targeting operation."

The Houthis, backed by Iran, claim to be acting in solidarity with Palestinians during Israel's conflict against the militant Palestinian group Hamas. In over 70 attacks, Houthis have sunk or seized two ships, captured another, and killed at minimum three seafarers.

Insurance and shipping sources have said that ships visiting Israeli ports face a greater threat from Houthis operating in open waters of the Red Sea.

In a new Red Sea guide published on Friday, the world's leading ship associations stated that operators of ships that have visited or plan to visit Israeli ports should "limit information access".

The advisory stated that "published information could be used as part of Houthi forces' targeting process." Companies experiencing incidents on their vessels should take into consideration the possibility that the Houthis will target them in the future. (Reporting and editing by Timothy Heritage, Jonathan Saul)

(source: Reuters)