Watan-The Hebrew newspaper “Yedioth Ahronoth” revealed that Israeli shipping companies have adopted an innovative method to circumvent the maritime blockade imposed by the Houthi rebels on Israel through Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, and Jordan.
These companies direct ships from the east to the ports of Jordan and Dubai. From there, the goods are transported by trucks through Saudi Arabia and Jordan to Israel.
The newspaper pointed out that dozens of these trucks arrived in Israel last month, carrying goods that could have previously been transported through the Red Sea.
Alternative solution to support the occupation
In a report monitored by “Watan,” the Hebrew newspaper confirmed that these companies supporting the occupation, transporting Israeli goods, found an alternative solution to avoid the circuitous route around Africa (via the Cape of Good Hope) and reach Israel through a long and costly path.
Instead, Israeli shipping companies supporting the occupation unload their cargo in the ports of the Arabian Gulf. From there, the goods reach Israel by trucks through Saudi Arabia and Jordan.
These reports came despite Jordan’s official denial multiple times and unequivocally that it serves as a passage for food and other materials to Israeli occupation.
Mantelfeld Company circumvents the Houthi blockade
The “Mantelfeld” company is one of the companies that found a way to circumvent the Houthi blockade. The company is one of the leading shipping and logistics service companies in Israel.
The company, in coordination with the Israeli ambassador to Bahrain, Etan Naeh, directed ships from China and India to the ports of Bahrain and Dubai. The goods were then unloaded and loaded onto Saudi and Jordanian trucks.
From the Arabian Gulf, through Saudi Arabia and Jordan to the King Hussein Bridge, the trucks made their way, unloading the goods again to Israeli trucks and thus entering the goods into Israel.
Three trucks loaded with paints entered Israel in the past few days, heading to the “Nirlat Paints” factory in Nir Oz, which had stopped operating due to the October 7, 2023 attack.
Faster speed and lower cost! Mantelfeld’s CEO, Omri Yitzhari, told Yedioth Ahronoth: “We are dealing with the Houthi threat to shipping lanes. We understood that the shortest and cheapest way to import goods from the east is through Saudi Arabia… and from there, the goods are transported by trucks to Jordan and then to Israel.”
The new overland route is characterized by speed and lower cost
The cost of transporting a container from the east to Israel before the war was about $2,000. Today, due to the length of the detour, the cost has jumped to $8,000 per container.
If the container used to reach Israel within 30 days before, the time has now been extended to 60 days due to the Houthi blockade. Overland shipping from the Gulf through Saudi Arabia and Jordan takes between 15 to 20 days.
The United States has launched multiple attacks against Houthi-affiliated sites in Yemen since the first strike conducted in collaboration with London on January 12 of this year.