Maersk Halts Haifa Operations Amid Middle East Tensions

Maersk has paused vessel calls at Israel's Haifa port due to regional tensions. The decision follows Israeli airstrikes on Iran, which retaliated with missile and drone attacks targeting Israel. Maersk's operations remain otherwise unaffected, as tensions revolve around Iran's alleged nuclear weapons development, which Iran denies.

In response to escalating regional tensions, Maersk, a leading player in container shipping, announced a temporary halt of its vessel calls at Haifa port in Israel. The decision underscores the complexities facing companies operating in volatile regions.

The Danish shipping giant confirmed that, apart from this operational pause, it is business as usual for their scheduled activities in the area. The backdrop to this move is a spate of regional confrontations, marked by Israel's recent aerial offensive targeting Iran, aiming to thwart alleged nuclear ambitions—a claim Iran has repeatedly refuted.

The conflict intensified further on Thursday when Iran's Revolutionary Guards launched a combined missile and drone assault against targets linked to Israel's defense sector in Haifa and Tel Aviv. This forms part of Iran's broader retaliatory measures against Israeli strikes.

(With inputs from agencies.)