Israel plans to open new front in Somaliland against Houthis amid Iran war

HARGEISA (Somaliguardian) – As conflict involving Iran reshapes security dynamics across the Middle East, Israel is quietly exploring a new strategic foothold along the Gulf of Aden, where officials say cooperation with Somaliland could eventually include a military installation aimed at countering Yemen’s Houthi movement, Bloomberg reported on Wednesday.

The potential partnership follows Israel’s decision in December to recognize Somaliland, the self-declared state that broke away from Somalia more than three decades ago but remains largely unrecognized internationally. The diplomatic move opened the door to deeper security cooperation between the two governments, according to officials in Hargeisa.

“In terms of security, we will have a strategic relationship and that encompasses a lot of things,” said Khadar Hussein Abdi, Somaliland’s minister of the presidency, speaking in his office in the capital. “We haven’t discussed with them if it becomes a military base, but definitely there will be an analysis at some point.”

The discussions come as the broader regional conflict intensifies. Since the United States and Israel launched attacks on Iran on Feb. 28, maritime tensions in the Gulf have surged. Oil and gas prices have climbed sharply while shipping companies face mounting war-risk insurance costs amid Iranian strikes on vessels. The Strait of Hormuz — through which roughly one-fifth of the world’s oil passes — has effectively been shut to normal traffic.

Israeli officials, according to people familiar with the matter, have begun studying Somaliland’s coastline as a potential strategic vantage point across the Gulf of Aden from Yemen, where the Houthis — Tehran’s most capable remaining regional proxy — continue to wield significant military strength.

Last June, a small delegation of Israeli security officials traveled to Somaliland to inspect coastal sites that could host a future installation. The team spent several days examining terrain along the shoreline to determine where facilities might be built for intelligence gathering or military operations against Houthi targets roughly 260 kilometers away across the water.

One site reportedly under consideration lies on elevated terrain west of the port city of Berbera, a location already hosting major infrastructure. The United Arab Emirates operates port facilities there through logistics giant DP World and maintains a nearby military airstrip.

An Israeli government spokesperson did not respond to requests for comment.

Although the Houthis have paused attacks since the strikes on Iran, Israeli officials continue to view the group as a major threat. After Israel’s military campaigns severely weakened Hamas and Hezbollah, the Yemeni militia is widely seen by Israeli security officials as Tehran’s most formidable remaining partner in the region.

The group escalated hostilities with Israel in 2023 by launching attacks on Red Sea shipping lanes and firing missiles toward Israeli territory in response to the war in Gaza.

An Israeli general recently established a specialized intelligence unit focused on the Houthis and said in a background briefing that the group maintains hundreds of rockets capable of reaching Israel.

“The Israeli relationship with Somaliland matters in large part because the Houthis are expanding along the Horn of Africa,” said Ari Heistein, a research fellow at the Jerusalem Institute for Strategy and Security. “If the ongoing US-Israel campaign degrades Iran’s ability to support the movement, the region could become an even more critical strategic arena for them.”

Talks between Israel and Somaliland about formal recognition had been underway for years, according to regional officials. But diplomats say negotiations accelerated rapidly in late 2025 as Israeli intelligence officials pushed for closer ties, increasingly viewing the Houthis as a growing strategic challenge.

Following the diplomatic breakthrough on Dec. 26, security cooperation began to expand. More than a dozen senior Somaliland military officers traveled to Israel for training shortly afterward, according to people familiar with the arrangement.

Israeli representatives have also taken preliminary steps toward establishing a diplomatic presence in Hargeisa, including renting fortified rooms in a hotel while they evaluate locations for a future embassy.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu publicly credited Israeli intelligence agencies, including Mossad, for helping secure the recognition agreement.

The development has drawn sharp criticism from several governments across the Middle East and Africa. In a joint statement, 21 Arab, Islamic and African countries — among them Egypt and Qatar — condemned the move, warning it could destabilize the Horn of Africa and the Red Sea corridor.

Analysts say the arrangement also presents risks for Somaliland, which could be drawn deeper into regional rivalries.

“The events in the Gulf, especially with Iran now attacking allies of the US, also highlight a dilemma for Somaliland – namely the prospect of getting dragged into regional conflicts without adequate defences in place,” said Omar Mahmood, a senior Somalia analyst at the International Crisis Group.

Tensions with Somalia’s federal government have also intensified. In January, Mogadishu announced it was cutting commercial and security ties with the United Arab Emirates, citing its involvement in ports at Berbera and Bosaso in Puntland, another semi-autonomous region. Both regional administrations rejected the declaration.

Israel’s outreach to Somaliland also intersects with broader geopolitical competition in the Horn of Africa, particularly with Turkey, which has emerged as the Somali government’s principal security partner.

Ankara operates its largest overseas military training base in Mogadishu and recently deployed F-16 fighter jets to protect Turkish interests, including an offshore energy exploration vessel.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan condemned Israel’s recognition of Somaliland as illegal during a regional visit in December.

Israeli officials have increasingly framed Turkey as a strategic rival. Former Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett recently referred to Turkey as “the new Iran.”

“For Israel, recognition of Somaliland offers a security counterweight to Houthi dominance in the Gulf of Aden,” said Conor Vasey, an analyst at the London-based advisory firm J.S. Held. “Specifically, it helps balance rising Turkish influence in Somalia.”

Security threats are not limited to regional powers. Islamist militant groups active in Somalia have also warned they could target Somaliland if Israel begins operating there.

“We have a lot of enemies to this, who really want to put pressure on Israel,” said Mohamed Abdirahman, director-general of Somaliland’s foreign ministry.

Despite the risks, Somaliland officials say their broader objective is gaining formal international recognition — particularly from the United States.

Support for that goal is growing among some U.S. foreign policy figures aligned with Republican circles. Former U.S. envoys J. Peter Pham and Tibor Nagy have both advocated closer engagement with Somaliland.

“As for strategic real estate, it is hard to beat Somaliland,” Pham said, pointing to Berbera’s deep-water port and a 5,000-meter runway — one of the longest in Africa.

Republican Sen. Ted Cruz, who chairs the Senate Foreign Relations Subcommittee on Africa, urged former President Donald Trump in a letter last August to recognize Somaliland as an independent country.

Trump has previously criticized the long-running U.S. security mission in Somalia, although U.S. forces have continued extensive air operations there. According to data compiled by the New America Foundation, U.S. strikes in Somalia reached 162 during his presidency — three times the number conducted under the Biden administration.

American officials are also examining Somaliland more closely. A former senior intelligence officer has been tasked with assessing the territory on behalf of the U.S. government, according to people familiar with the effort.

The State Department did not respond to requests for comment.

Somaliland’s leadership says it is prepared to offer Washington strategic and economic incentives, including access to potential reserves of rare earth minerals and offshore oil resources that remain largely unexplored.

Military cooperation could also be part of the package.

“They are tired of supporting the failed state of Mogadishu,” said Abdi. “They have been pumping money and military support and nothing changes in Somalia. A policy shift is coming.”

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