Sanaa (Somalia Today) – Yemen’s Houthi rebels issued an ultimatum on Sunday, warning that they will treat any Israeli presence in the breakaway region of Somaliland as a “legitimate military target.”
The threat, published by the group’s Al Masirah media outlet, adds to regional tensions days after Israel announced it had formally recognized the self-declared republic as an independent state, a move that Somalia and most of the international community do not accept.
In a written statement, Houthi leader Abdul-Malik al-Houthi condemned Israel’s move as a “hostile act” and an “aggression.”
He said Israel aims to “find a foothold” in the Horn of Africa to threaten Yemen and to advance a wider project he described as “changing the Middle East.”
“We will take all possible supporting measures… including considering any Israeli presence in the Somaliland region a military target for our armed forces,” al-Houthi said.
He said his forces “will not accept that a part of Somalia turns into a foothold for the enemy,” and described the issue as a threat to Mogadishu’s sovereignty and Red Sea security.
‘Null and void’
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu described the recognition, announced on Friday, December 26, as a stabilizing step in line with the Abraham Accords. However, the Houthis’ leadership rejected this move, saying it has no legal basis.
Al-Houthi characterized the recognition as “null” and “void,” asserting it “has no value” in international law.
He argued that since Israel acts as an “occupying entity” in Palestinian territories, it lacks the moral and legal standing “for itself, so how could it recognize others?”
The rebel leader warned that Israel would use the recognition to expand “the circle of recognition and cooperation” with other African countries.
He said the objective is to turn Somaliland into a forward operating base for activities targeting Somalia, Yemen, and other Arab and Islamic nations.
Strategic flashpoint
The Houthi warning brings a military angle to what started as a diplomatic dispute. Somaliland sits on the southern coast of the Gulf of Aden, just across from Houthi-controlled areas in Yemen.
Because of its location, Somaliland is within range of Houthi weapons. Al-Houthi’s warning points to the risk of new conflicts in the same sea route where his group has already disrupted global trade.
Reuters reports that since November 2023, the Houthis have attacked over 100 commercial ships. This has forced major shipping lines to reroute around the Cape of Good Hope, raising insurance costs and transit times.
Some security analysts believe Israel may want access to Berbera, Somaliland’s deep-water port, to strengthen its position against Iranian-backed threats in Yemen.
By calling any such presence a “military target,” the Houthis signaled they might act beyond the Red Sea and focus on the Horn of Africa as well.
Diplomatic isolation
The Houthi warning comes amid broad international rejection of Israel’s move, which has not been endorsed by major powers or multilateral bodies.
In a rare break with its ally, the U.S. State Department stated on Saturday that it continues to recognize Somalia’s territorial integrity, “which includes the territory of Somaliland.”
The European Union also issued a statement reaffirming Somalia’s unity, calling for dialogue, and rejecting unilateral border changes.
AU Commission Chair Mahmoud Ali Youssouf rejected the recognition and said the bloc remains committed to keeping colonial-era borders to help prevent secessionist conflicts in Africa.
More than 20 countries, including the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC), issued a joint statement warning that the move would have “serious repercussions” for peace in the region.
Calls for mobilization
In his Sunday address, al-Houthi sought to rally regional support by framing the issue as a matter of Muslim sovereignty.
He called for a “firm Arab and Islamic position” to support Somalia’s federal government and urged pressure on what he called “traitors” in Somaliland’s leadership, accusing them of working with Israel.
He also connected the Somaliland issue to the ongoing war in Gaza, which is a key theme in Houthi messages. Al-Houthi said that if Muslim nations do not support Palestinians, it gives Israel chances for “conspiracies” in places like Somalia.
“We consider this aggression against Somalia and Yemen,” he said, warning that the security of the entire region requires “decisive measures” to prevent Israel from establishing a new front on the continent.
For Somaliland, however, Israeli recognition was presented by its supporters as a milestone in a 34-year campaign for international legitimacy.
The region declared independence in 1991 after Somalia’s central government collapsed. Since then, it has kept its own government, security forces, and currency.
However, most countries and international organizations still treat it as part of Somalia under international law.
Israel’s decision to break this consensus was seen in Hargeisa as a political breakthrough. But the Houthis’ warning highlighted the possible security risks of closer regional ties.
