Inside the new war front: Israel shuts offshore gas fields amid rising Iranian missile threats

Report by Amal Shehadeh, English adaptation by Yasmine Jaroudi

As Iranian missile threats intensify, targeting strategic and military sites, Israel is taking swift steps to protect its critical infrastructure. 

Following the destruction of the Bazan power facility in Haifa Bay, the Israeli Energy Ministry, in coordination with security agencies, announced the shutdown of the Karish and Livyatan offshore gas fields. Only the Tamar field will remain operational. Authorities justified the decision by claiming that the economic cost of shutting the fields is far less than the potential damage if they were hit.

The move is part of a broader emergency plan developed during high-level security meetings to safeguard vital infrastructure. 

Officials say Iran has shifted its missile tactics, reducing the number of launch platforms and relying on mobile units—typically just three or four at a time. This has significantly shortened the time available for Israeli civilians to respond to incoming attacks.

While Israeli officials have not confirmed whether recent Iranian missile strikes have hit highly sensitive sites—such as the Mossad base located in the densely populated heart of Tel Aviv—an unusual and intense odor reportedly spread through a large section of the city following a missile salvo on Tuesday morning.

Therefore, Israel has prioritized warning systems for civilians and is racing to distribute thousands of mobile shelters and fortified rooms across central towns to mitigate the threat to residents.

Meanwhile, the Israeli military estimates that achieving its objectives in the current conflict will require approximately three weeks. 

However, some ministers in the Israeli government have introduced a new political calculation intended as a message to Washington. 

The proposal: if the United States intervenes directly in the war, Israel could complete its military goals by the end of the week and proceed to negotiations. 

If not, the army will continue its operations indefinitely—despite knowing it cannot destroy Iran's deeply buried Fordow nuclear facility, which leaves Tehran's nuclear ambitions intact.