Mogadishu (Somalia Today) – Yemen’s Houthi-run foreign ministry warned Friday that Israel’s growing involvement in Somalia, including appointing an ambassador to Hargeisa, threatens Somali sovereignty and stability in the Red Sea corridor.
In a statement carried by Saba, the news agency run by the Sanaa-based Houthi administration, the ministry said any Israeli presence in Somaliland was a “red line.”
The ministry accused Israel of seeking to use the breakaway region as a platform for activities against Somalia and other countries in the region.
The ministry said the move amounted to a “blatant” violation of international law and Somalia’s sovereignty, independence and territorial integrity.
It also warned that any Israeli presence in Somaliland would undermine security in the Horn of Africa and pose a direct threat to the Red Sea, the Gulf of Aden, international navigation and global trade.
“Israeli efforts aimed at making the Somaliland region a launchpad for the activities of the Israeli enemy entity against Somalia and the countries of the region will not succeed,” the ministry said.
The statement urged Red Sea states, along with Arab and Muslim countries, to take serious steps to confront Israeli plans in Somalia.
The warning came days after Israel announced that Michael Lotem would serve as its first non-resident ambassador to Somaliland, deepening ties with the self-declared republic in a move that has alarmed Mogadishu and drawn wider regional attention.
Israel formally recognised Somaliland in December last year, becoming the first country to do so.
Somalia swiftly condemned the move, saying Somaliland remains an integral part of Somali territory and that any foreign engagement with Hargeisa without federal approval is illegal.
Rising tensions
The dispute has escalated in recent months. Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Saar visited Hargeisa in January and said Israel would deepen relations, open an embassy and appoint an ambassador, prompting criticism from Somalia and condemnation from regional organisations.
For Mogadishu, the issue goes beyond diplomacy. Somali authorities have framed Israel’s engagement with Hargeisa as a direct challenge to the country’s unity and territorial integrity.
The federal government is already managing fragile internal and regional tensions.
Somaliland declared independence from Somalia in 1991, following the collapse of the Somali state. It has since maintained its own government, security institutions, and currency.
However, Somalia and most of the international community continue to regard it as part of Somali territory.
Somaliland occupies a position along the Gulf of Aden, near one of the world’s busiest maritime corridors, and sits across from Houthi-controlled parts of Yemen. Israel’s outreach to Somaliland thus gains significance far beyond the Horn of Africa.
The Houthis, who control much of northern Yemen, including the capital Sanaa, have for months linked the Red Sea security crisis to their broader confrontation with Israel.
The Houthis’ latest statement suggests they now view Israel’s diplomatic opening in Somaliland as part of the same regional contest.
They link developments in the Horn of Africa to the wider struggle over Red Sea security, shipping lanes, and regional influence.
Somalia has not publicly responded to the Houthis’ statement, but Mogadishu has repeatedly rejected Israel’s recognition of Somaliland and insists that any steps affecting the region’s status violate Somalia’s unity and territorial integrity.
