Yemen’s Houthi leader, Abdul Malik al-Houthi, has warned that any Israeli presence in Somaliland would be treated as a military target, sharply escalating regional tensions following Israel’s decision to recognize the self-declared Somali region as an independent state.
In a televised address broadcast by the Houthi-run Al-Masirah channel on Sunday, al-Houthi said Israeli facilities or personnel operating in Somaliland would be considered legitimate targets by the Iran-aligned group. He described Israel’s recognition as an act of aggression against both Somalia and Yemen, warning that it posed a serious threat to regional security.
“We consider any Israeli presence in the Somaliland region a military target,” al-Houthi said, accusing Israel of seeking to establish a strategic foothold in the Horn of Africa to expand its military reach in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden—key maritime routes that have seen repeated Houthi attacks since the outbreak of the Gaza war.
Israel announced on December 26 that it had formally recognized Somaliland, becoming the first United Nations member state to do so. Somaliland declared independence from Somalia in 1991 but remains unrecognized by the UN, African Union, and most of the international community. Somalia’s federal government has strongly rejected Israel’s move, calling it illegal and a violation of its sovereignty and territorial integrity.
Al-Houthi urged Arab and Muslim countries to adopt a unified stance against Israel’s decision and voiced support for Somalia’s federal government. He warned that the recognition could have far-reaching consequences for security in the Horn of Africa, the Red Sea region, and countries along both shores of the strategic waterway.
Israeli officials have not publicly commented on the Houthi threat. However, Israeli media reports have suggested that closer ties with Somaliland could enhance Israel’s operational reach in the region, potentially including surveillance or military activity near Yemen.
Somaliland’s authorities have also not issued an official response to al-Houthi’s remarks.
The Houthis, who control large parts of northern Yemen including the capital Sanaa, have intensified attacks on Red Sea shipping and Israel-linked targets over the past year, saying their actions are in solidarity with Palestinians in Gaza. Analysts warn that Israel’s recognition of Somaliland risks further militarizing the Horn of Africa and the Red Sea corridor at a time of heightened regional instability.
Israel’s move has drawn widespread condemnation from Somalia, the African Union, the Arab League, the Gulf Cooperation Council, the Organization of Islamic Cooperation, and several countries in Africa and the Middle East, all of which have reaffirmed support for Somalia’s unity and territorial integrity.
