Israel’s presence in Somaliland would be a military objective

Militia in Yemen

Houthi: Israel’s presence in Somaliland would be a military objective

The Houthi militia in Yemen is threatening Israel over the recognition of Somaliland as a state. The UN Security Council meets for an emergency meeting. Meanwhile, Israel’s Prime Minister meets US President Trump.

The leader of the Iran-backed Houthi militia is threatening Israel after its recognition of Somaliland as a sovereign state. “Any Israeli presence in Somaliland will be considered a military target by our armed forces as it represents aggression against Somalia and Yemen and a threat to the security of the region,” Abdul-Malik al-Houthi said in a statement. On Friday, Israel became the first country in the world to recognize the Republic of Somaliland as a sovereign state. Somalia firmly rejects recognition of its breakaway region in the north.

The UN Security Council is meeting in an emergency session today over Israel’s move. Previously, 21 predominantly Muslim countries had warned in a joint statement of “serious consequences” of Israel’s unprecedented actions for “peace and security in the Horn of Africa and the Red Sea” as well as for international security.

As the UN Security Council meets in New York, US President Donald Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu will discuss the future of the Gaza Strip today at Trump’s Mar-a-Lago residence in Florida. According to a recent report by US news portal Axios, US officials believe Netanyahu is delaying the peace process. They feared that he would resume the war against the Islamist Hamas.

Somalia’s Prime Minister Hamza Abdi Bari told Egyptian broadcaster Al-Kahira Al-Ikhbariya that the Israeli prime minister is trying to take advantage of current political and regional realities to gain a foothold in the Horn of Africa. Netanyahu believes that through a presence in northern Somalia he can control the Red Sea and the Bab al-Mandab Strait and establish military bases in the region. Somalia’s President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud had earlier said in parliament that his government would not accept Israel’s recognition of Somaliland.

The East African republic of Somaliland, which has only a few million inhabitants, has been practically independent for more than three decades. Israeli media pointed out that Somaliland is located not far from the strategically important Bab al-Mandab strait, where there have been repeated attacks by the Houthis on international merchant ships with suspected ties to Israel. The Times of Israel wrote that access to Somaliland would make it easier for Israel to carry out attacks against the militia and monitor them.