By Hassan Adan
MOGADISHU- Somalia has warned that its territory must not be used as a platform for foreign military operations following media reports that Israel is considering establishing a military installation near the strategic port city of Berbera in Somaliland.
Speaking to the English service of Al Jazeera, Somalia’s State Minister for Foreign Affairs, Ali Omar Balcad, said the federal government would not allow Somali territory to be drawn into broader geopolitical conflicts.
“Somalia does not want to see its territory pulled into external confrontations or used in ways that could further destabilize an already sensitive region,” the minister told Al Jazeera.
The warning came after international media reports suggested that Israel may be exploring the possibility of establishing a military presence near Berbera, a port city in Somaliland located along the Gulf of Aden, one of the world’s busiest shipping corridors.
Reports by international outlets including Bloomberg and Sweden’s public broadcaster Swedish Radio indicated that Israeli planners are examining potential sites along the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden that could serve as a forward base for operations in the region.
According to those reports, the proposed facility could allow Israel to monitor and potentially respond to attacks by Yemen’s Houthi movement, which is backed by Iran and has targeted shipping lanes and Israeli-linked vessels in the Red Sea during the broader regional conflict.
The issue is further complicated by the diplomatic relationship between Israel and Somaliland, a self-declared republic that broke away from Somalia in 1991 but remains internationally recognized as part of Somalia.
In December 2025, Israel became the first United Nations member state to formally recognize Somaliland as an independent country, establishing diplomatic relations and pledging to expand cooperation across several sectors.
Somalia strongly condemned the move, calling it a violation of its sovereignty and warning that the Horn of Africa could become a new arena for geopolitical competition.
Analysts say Somaliland’s location near the Bab el-Mandeb Strait — a key maritime chokepoint linking the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden — makes it highly attractive for military and intelligence operations.
The port of Berbera already hosts infrastructure developed by the United Arab Emirates and has been used as a logistics hub for regional security operations.
The controversy highlights how Somalia and the wider Horn of Africa have increasingly become a strategic crossroads for global powers.
Major international actors including the United States, China, Turkey, the United Arab Emirates, and Russia maintain military, economic, or political interests in the region.
The nearby Red Sea corridor carries a significant portion of global trade, including oil shipments from the Gulf to Europe and Asia. Monitoring or controlling this maritime route has become increasingly important amid rising tensions in the Middle East.
The potential Israeli base is also being discussed against the backdrop of the broader confrontation involving Israel, the United States, and Iran, which has intensified across several fronts in the region.
Iran-backed Houthi fighters in Yemen — located directly across the Gulf of Aden from Somaliland — have launched attacks on shipping and conducted missile strikes linked to the Gaza war and wider regional tensions.
Analysts say a military foothold in Somaliland could give Israel a strategic vantage point to monitor activities across the Red Sea and the Arabian Peninsula.
Somalia’s federal government insists that any foreign military presence in Somaliland would still fall under Somali sovereignty.
Officials in Mogadishu argue that any agreements signed with the Somaliland administration would be invalid under international law.
Somali government officials say the presence of foreign military bases could further destabilize the region, which is already dealing with security challenges, including the long-running insurgency by the armed group al‑Shabab.
For now, it remains unclear whether the reported Israeli plans will materialize.
