Israel has resumed limited natural gas exports amid ongoing tensions with Iran, according to the country’s Energy Ministry. This decision comes just days after Israel suspended exports due to escalating military conflict in the region.
The spokesperson noted that exports are only being resumed from surplus supplies, ensuring that domestic needs are prioritized. Most of this resumed gas is currently being sent to Jordan, with only small quantities reaching Egypt thus far.
Egyptian fertilizer companies, which were compelled to halt production due to the disruption, reported they have not yet received any gas but are hopeful for supply restoration by next week. The Egyptian Petroleum Ministry has not commented on this situation.
Exports faced a significant halt starting June 13, when Israel shut down two primary offshore fields—the Leviathan field, operated by Chevron, and the Karish field, managed by Energean. Currently, only the Tamar field remains operational, primarily catering to domestic demand.
Israeli Energy Minister Eli Cohen emphasized that exports would only continue when military officials confirm it is safe to do so. He expressed the importance of maintaining strategic reserves, stating, “I don’t want to use our strategic storage.”
Egypt has become increasingly dependent on Israeli gas following its own production decline in 2022. The country is actively seeking alternatives to fill the supply void, which includes increasing the use of fuel oil in power plants and signing major deals for liquefied natural gas imports exceeding $8 billion.
Typically, Israeli gas represents about 60% of Egypt’s gas imports and constitutes around 20% of its total consumption.