ssh tunnel for https SOAP web service

I need to consume a web service from my local computer but the web service allows only the predefined ip's so i need to consume the service via a middle host which has an ip defined to reach the web service host. So i need to do something like ssh tunnel hopping:

Local computer(mac) ---> middle host(ubuntu) ---> https soap web service
                    <---                     <---

My local computer is a mac, middle host is ubuntu linux and the service is a https service.

First i want to ask is this a possible scenarion?

Then what i've tried and what i've achieved:

I initiated a tunnel with ssh command:

ssh -L 8443:service_url:443 -Nf root@middle_host_ip

I'm using SoapUi app. to test the conenction but i got javax.net.ssl.sslexception connection reset error.

On the ssh connection side i got channel 2: open failed: connect failed: Name or service not known error.

The url i tried in SoapUi application are https://localhost:8443 and https://127.0.0.1:8443

I also updated the /etc/host file; to check if the problem was about it; as:

127.0.0.1       service_url
255.255.255.255 broadcasthost
::1             localhost

But i still got the same error.

Is there an easier way to test the connection and is there an obvious mistake i'm making?

Thanks.

Edit:

For testing i tried connecting to a non https server with the ssh command

ssh -L 8443:[regular_web_site_url]:80 [user]@[server_ip]

and in a web browser typed the url localhost:8443 and retrieved the web site succesfully.

But when i try to do the same for the https web service which i want to consume i get the error on the shell which i created the ssh connection: channel 3: open failed: connect failed: Name or service not known

And when i try to retriev a https web site, for testing purposes, i have the invalid certificate error even i change the /etc/hosts file as: 127.0.0.1 [https_web_site_url]

Why i'm trying to achieve this is i need to test a https web service which allows only the predefined ip's to consume so i need to connect to the middle host which has predefined ip for the service to be consumed.

Any help will be appreciated. Thanks again

ssh -L 8443:service_host:443 -Nf root@middle_host_ip

service_host can be an ip address or a fqdn.

Did you try to access a regular https website from your browser using the tunneling with the url https://127.0.0.1/8443? Maybe it helps for testing.

But i think you're going to have problems accessing a https website due to https certificate, you may need to update your /etc/hosts file.