And yet, a lifetime ago, it was oil that brought Israel and Iran together to set up a joint venture in secret. At the same time, sellers of oil such as Iran, too, needed a different route: the Suez Canal remained shut till 1975. The secret pipelineThe Suez Canal’s closure led to a joint-venture between Israel and Iran in 1968 that would connect the Red Sea port of Eilat and the Mediterranean port of Ashkelon. But the 42-inch-wide and 254-kilometre-long Eilat Ashkelon Pipeline did not evade detection. The pipeline connects the Red Sea port of Eilat and the Mediterranean port of Ashkelon.

Source: Indian Express March 04, 2026 10:37 UTC