Houthi Leader Warns Israeli Presence in Somaliland ‘Military Target’

Yemen’s Houthi leader Abdul Malik al-Houthi on Sunday warned that any Israeli presence in Somaliland would be considered a military target, following Israel’s announcement that it had recognised the breakaway Somali region as an independent state.

Speaking in a televised address broadcast by the Houthi-run Al-Masirah channel, al-Houthi said Israeli facilities or personnel operating in Somaliland would be treated as legitimate targets by the Iran-aligned group.

“We consider any Israeli presence in the Somaliland region a military target,” al-Houthi said, describing Israel’s move as an act of aggression against Somalia and Yemen that threatens regional security.

The statement marks the first direct threat by the Houthis linked to Israel’s recognition of Somaliland, a self-declared state that has sought international recognition since it broke away from Somalia in 1991 but remains unrecognised by the United Nations.

Israel last week said it had recognised Somaliland as an independent state, triggering sharp condemnation from Somalia’s federal government, regional organisations and several Arab and African states. Mogadishu has called the move a violation of its sovereignty and territorial integrity.

Al-Houthi accused Israel of seeking to establish a strategic foothold in Somaliland to expand its military operations in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden, key maritime routes that have come under repeated Houthi attacks since the outbreak of the Gaza war.

He urged Arab and Muslim countries to adopt a unified stance against Israel’s decision and voiced support for Somalia’s federal government.

Israeli officials have not publicly commented on the Houthi threat. Israeli media reports on Sunday suggested that closer ties with Somaliland could enhance Israel’s operational reach in the region, including potential surveillance or military activity near Yemen.

Somaliland’s authorities have 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 say Israel’s recognition of Somaliland risks further militarising the Horn of Africa and Red Sea corridor at a time of heightened regional instability.