MOGADISHU — Somalia’s federal government has issued a strong warning against the use of its territory for foreign military operations, following media reports that Israel is considering establishing a military base in the self-declared republic of Somaliland, near the strategic port city of Berbera along the Gulf of Aden.
State Minister for Foreign Affairs Ali Balcad said in remarks to Al Jazeera television that Somalia does not want its land drawn into external conflicts or used in ways that could further destabilise an already fragile region.
He stressed that the federal government is the sole authority legally empowered to enter into security or military agreements on behalf of the country, adding that any negotiations conducted outside that framework would have no legal standing.
The warning came after reports by Bloomberg News and Sweden’s national radio Ekot cited plans by Israel to explore the establishment of a military facility in the area, as tensions intensify in the wider Middle East amid the ongoing confrontation involving the United States, Israel and Iran.
Meanwhile, Somaliland’s minister for the presidency, Khadar Abdi, told Bloomberg that the region was seeking a broad strategic partnership with Israel. He noted, however, that the issue of a military base had not been formally decided and could be considered in the future.
The development comes at a time of growing concern that the Middle East conflict could spill over into key maritime routes, including the Bab al-Mandeb strait and the Gulf of Aden. Yemen’s Houthi movement has previously warned against any Israeli presence in the region, describing it as a legitimate target.
Addressing the wider security implications, Balcad said instability in the Red Sea was affecting the entire Horn of Africa and urged all parties to avoid actions that could expose Somali civilians to unnecessary risks or entangle the country in global geopolitical rivalries.
