Somaliland Open to IDF Operations Against Neighbor Houthis

Israel’s recognition of Somaliland could pave the way for a strategic security partnership that may eventually include an Israeli presence on the Red Sea coast, a senior Somaliland official said.

Khadar Hussein Abdi, Somaliland’s minister of the presidency, said the relationship between the two sides is expected to include security cooperation. While no decision has been made about establishing a military base, he said the possibility could be examined in the future.

“In terms of security, we will have a strategic relationship, and that encompasses a lot of things,” Abdi said. “We haven’t discussed whether it becomes a military base, but there will definitely be analysis at some point.”

Israel recognized the self-declared Republic of Somaliland in December, becoming the first country to formally acknowledge the territory’s independence from Somalia. Somaliland has operated as a de facto state for decades but has received little international recognition.

Officials say cooperation between the two sides is expected to focus initially on agriculture, technology, water management and economic development.

Somaliland’s location along the Gulf of Aden gives it strategic importance opposite Yemen, where Iran-backed Houthi forces have carried out attacks on shipping and launched missiles and drones toward Israel.

Officials said Israel could potentially use the territory to improve intelligence gathering and monitoring of Houthi activity in the region.

Security analysts note that the Houthis have become one of Iran’s most powerful regional proxies, especially as other Iranian-aligned groups such as Hamas and Hezbollah have faced sustained military pressure.

A closer relationship between Israel and Somaliland could also have broader regional implications.

Turkey, a major supporter of Somalia’s government in Mogadishu, has criticized Israel’s recognition of Somaliland. Ankara operates its largest overseas military training base in the Somali capital and has sought to expand its influence in the Horn of Africa.

Somaliland officials say the partnership with Israel could strengthen their security position, though it may also attract threats from militant groups in the region. Both al-Shabaab and Islamic State affiliates in Somalia have warned they could target Somaliland if an Israeli presence is established there.

Despite those risks, Somaliland officials say the strategic shift reflects frustration with Somalia’s ongoing instability and a desire to deepen ties with new international partners.