From the Liveblog of
Friday, September 4, 2026
Israeli investors in crosshairs of Argentina’s Milei over Falklands oil project
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Argentine President Javier Milei’s push for sanctions on oil companies drilling offshore in the British-controlled Falkland Islands has put Israeli investors at the center of a sovereignty dispute over which Britain and Argentina went to war in 1982.
Milei, a proclaimed ally of Israel, on Thursday singled out the Sea Lion offshore oil project as he announced measures targeting companies involved in Falklands oil and gas activities, with penalties potentially extending to shareholders, directors and suppliers.
The project’s two owners have strong Israeli ties. Sea Lion is operated by Tel Aviv-listed Navitas Petroleum, which holds a 65% stake.
Gideon Tadmor, a prominent figure in Israel’s energy sector and also the company’s chair, holds about 9% of shares in the company, according to LSEG data.
The remaining 35% of Sea Lion is owned by London-listed Rockhopper Exploration with Israel-based Noked Capital, Brosh Funds and ION Fund Management among its top five investors, owning between 4.6% and 9.2% each.
Navitas and Rockhopper said the Sea Lion project had valid licenses and that they did not expect Milei’s comments to have a material effect on the project’s development.
“The Partnership operates pursuant to valid petroleum licenses lawfully granted to it by the Government of the Falkland Islands, a self-governing UK Overseas Territory, and with the full and ongoing support of the UK Government,” Navitas says in a statement.
Both companies had already been disqualified from operating in Argentina for 20 years over taking up the licences, which Buenos Aires says are illegal, according to a December 2025 statement on the website of the Argentine embassy in Britain.
Shares in Navitas and Rockhopper fell as much as 6% and 12%, respectively, on Friday.
The Times of Israel Community.