The port of Haifa in northern Israel has been witnessing a surge in cargo traffic over the last week, sources have told Sputnik India.
Sources said that there has been a 2-3 percent rise in vessel traffic in the last week or so due to diversions from other ports of Israel.
They said that the security situation around the Haifa port had remained stable.
"Till now, no alarm bell has been run as far as the security situation is concerned. We are closely monitoring the developments," people familiar with the matter said.
Last week, APSEZ CEO Karan Adani allayed fears about the security situation at the port.
"The entire port's security features have been designed keeping in mind such event,” Adani said during a media interview.
Haifa’s Location Near Lebanon Border
The Haifa port was acquired by a Joint Venture of Adani Ports and Special Economic Zone (APSEZ) and Israel’s Gadot Group for $1.15 billion in January this year.
The port is the second biggest in Israel, handling nearly half of Israel’s container cargo and is also a principal port for passenger traffic and cruise ship, according to a company statement.
The port is located at the Mediterranean Sea in Israel’s northern part near the country’s border with Lebanon.
Amid security concerns around Haifa, APSEZ’s share price at Indian stock markets have dropped from INR 830 ($9.98) on 6 October to INR 771 ($9.27) on Monday (23 October).
Since the ongoing hostilities erupted in Gaza this month, the IDF has said that it has been striking targets in southern Lebanon in retaliation to rockets fired by Hezbollah.
On Sunday, Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu visited IDF troops stationed at the Lebanon border, cautioning the army that it was involved in a “double battle”.
Netanyahu stated that it was critical for IDF to “thwart” Hezbollah at the northern border as the Israeli troops try to achieve a “decisive victory” against Hamas in Gaza, amid fears across the world that the Lebanese group could join the war from side of Hamas.