Israel Preparing To Connect Karish to National Network

Israel is preparing to connect the Karish maritime gas field to its national network. The country’s Energy Ministry announced on Friday that it would conduct tests in the “coming days” which would allow it to connect Karish to Israel’s gas network.

Earlier this month, Energean, a Greek energy conglomerate, announced that gas production at the Karish gas field, which his located in the Mediterranean Sea in territorial waters claimed by both Israel and Lebanon, was set to begin “within weeks.”

Also on Friday, Hizbullah chief Hassan Nasrallah during a televised speech called the planned extraction from Karish a “red line,” and issued a threat against Israel and the gas field. “We are following up on the negotiations and all our eyes are on Karish and our missiles are locked on Karish,” Nasrallah said. “As long as extraction has not started, there is a chance for solutions.”

Israel and Lebanon have for years disputed their maritime borders, with Lebanon expanding that border discrepancy last year. Negotiations between Lebanon and Israel to determine their maritime borders commenced in October 2020, when the two sides held indirect US-mediated talks in southern Lebanon. A maritime deal between Israel and Lebanon could be reached by the end of September, according to reports. Hizbullah in Lebanon has threatened the Karish field if Israel begins extracting gas from it. In July, Israel’s military said it intercepted the three drones launched by Hizbullah heading for Karish.