Tel Aviv: In recent weeks, the Israeli Navy has begun operating unmanned vessels for the first time in the exclusive economic zone (EEZ) in the Mediterranean Sea. The vessels have the ability to build a broad maritime picture and are engaged in monitoring and characterising the movement of vessels moving in the exclusive economic zone.
The information produced by the vessels is collected, documented and used by the IDF to analyse threats and use force in the maritime zone and in the mission of protecting the strategic assets of the State of Israel. The gas pumping rigs off the Israeli shore is a potential target for Iran and its proxies.
According to the IDF, these unmanned vessels constitute a significant reinforcement of the defence capability to prevent any attacks on Israeli assets in the EEZ.
The IDF has not released any technical data about the new unmanned vessels but sources here said that they are equipped with different sensors like a radar, different optical payloads and the capability to detect underwater movements.
Israel’s Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) is a maritime area in the Mediterranean Sea where Israel exercises special rights regarding the exploration and use of marine resources, including energy production from water and wind. The EEZ is a crucial strategic and economic asset for Israel, comparable in size to the country’s landmass, covering approximately 21,000–22,000 square kilometres.
The Israeli EEZ extends from the edge of Israel’s territorial waters (12 nautical miles from the coast) out to a maximum of 200 nautical miles, as per the general international standard, though Israel’s actual EEZ stretches about 130 km from its northern shore and up to 204 km from the southern shore.
In the north, the EEZ reaches the mid-line agreed upon with Cyprus, while in the south, it extends to the mid-line with Egypt. The boundaries with Lebanon and the Palestinian Authority remain unresolved, although a significant maritime border agreement with Lebanon was reached in 2022.
-The writer is an Israel-based freelance journalist. The views expressed are of the writer and do not necessarily reflect the views of Raksha Anirveda
