HEADLINE Karish Gas Field Restarts as Israel Restores Full Offshore Energy Production

The Energy Ministry has ordered Energean to resume Karish gas production, completing the restoration of Israel’s offshore energy assets after war shutdowns.

By: AXL Media

Published: Apr 9, 2026, 3:15 AM EDT

Source: Information for this report was sourced from The Times of Israel

Jerusalem Authorizes Return of Northern Mediterranean Gas Production

The Israeli government has formally ended the suspension of activities at the Karish gas field, a critical offshore asset located near the country’s northern maritime border. Following a comprehensive security assessment by the Defense Ministry and the Israeli Navy, the Ministry of Energy and Infrastructure directed the London listed firm Energean to begin the technical process of restarting the facility’s floating production system. The platform had been idle since the outbreak of hostilities with Iran on February 28, when authorities ordered a precautionary shutdown to protect vital energy infrastructure from potential long range missile or drone strikes.

Strategic Energy Restoration Follows Successful Leviathan Restart

The decision to reactivate Karish follows the successful resumption of activities at the Leviathan field, Israel’s largest natural gas reservoir, which returned to full operation six days ago. According to ministry officials, the phased reopening of these northern assets indicates a growing confidence in the military’s ability to defend offshore platforms through the Iron Dome’s maritime variant and naval patrols. While Leviathan primarily services domestic needs and export contracts with Egypt and Jordan, the Karish field is a vital component of the local economy, providing a significant share of the gas required for Israel’s national electricity grid.

Tamar Platform Maintained Continuous Output Throughout Conflict

In contrast to the northern fields, the Tamar gas platform located off the southern coast of Israel remained active throughout the duration of the war. Despite its relative proximity to other conflict zones, security officials determined that the technical resilience and geographic positioning of the Tamar rig allowed for continued production without unmanageable risk. This consistent supply from the south prevented a total energy blackout during the peak of the February and March escalations, though the country was still forced to increase its reliance on coal and diesel reserves to meet demand while the northern rigs were offline.