How Somaliland Became Part of Israel’s Secret Network in the War Against Iran
A new report says Israel operated covert military and intelligence sites across the Middle East during its war with Iran, including in Somaliland, where it allegedly used strategic facilities linked to Red Sea operations and long-range military logistics.
Covert locations reportedly used by Israel during its war with Iran, includes Somaliland, Azerbaijan, and the United Arab Emirates
HARGEISA (Somali Report) — Somaliland’s growing strategic importance in the Red Sea region has taken on a new dimension after reports emerged that Israel used the territory as part of a covert military and intelligence network during its war with Iran.
According to a CNN investigation citing four sources familiar with the matter, Israel maintained a series of secret positions across the Middle East, including in Somaliland, Azerbaijan, Iraq and the United Arab Emirates, to support military operations against Iran.
The report claims Somaliland provided Israel with a logistical position that could potentially be used by Israeli aircraft on long-range missions connected to operations against Iran. Neither Israel nor Somaliland has publicly confirmed the allegations.
The revelation places Somaliland at the center of an increasingly complex geopolitical rivalry stretching from the Horn of Africa to the Persian Gulf and highlights how the territory’s strategic location is attracting growing international attention.
A Strategic Red Sea Outpost
Somaliland occupies a critical position along the Gulf of Aden near the Bab al-Mandab Strait, one of the world's busiest maritime chokepoints linking the Red Sea and the Indian Ocean.
Security analysts have long argued that Berbera Port and Berbera International Airport offer significant military and logistical advantages because of their proximity to Yemen, the Red Sea and major shipping lanes.
The CNN report comes months after Israel became the first United Nations member state to formally recognize Somaliland, a move widely viewed as a diplomatic breakthrough for Hargeisa but one that also drew attention from regional powers.
The UAE, a close partner of both Israel and Somaliland, already maintains a significant commercial and security presence in Berbera through investments in port infrastructure and logistics facilities.
Analysts say the combination of Israeli recognition, Emirati influence and Somaliland’s location has elevated the territory’s importance in regional security calculations.
Israel’s Wider Regional Network
According to CNN, Somaliland was only one part of a much larger network that enabled Israel to extend its reach deep into Iranian territory during the conflict.
The report states that Israeli special forces, intelligence personnel and rescue units operated from covert positions in southern Azerbaijan near Iran’s northern border.
Those sites reportedly allowed Israeli forces to conduct intelligence gathering, drone operations and emergency rescue missions for pilots operating over Iranian territory.
The Azerbaijani government has strongly denied allowing its territory to be used for operations against another country.
“We firmly reject unfounded claims regarding the alleged use of Azerbaijan’s territory for operations against third countries,” an Azerbaijani embassy spokesperson told CNN.
The investigation also alleges that Israel maintained facilities in Iraq and deployed additional air defense assets, including an Iron Dome battery, to the United Arab Emirates during the conflict.
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Together, the reported deployments positioned Israeli assets along Iran’s northern, western and southern periphery, creating what analysts describe as an unprecedented regional military footprint.
Why Somaliland Matters
Somaliland’s Ambassador to Israel Mohamed Hag meets President Isaac Herzog after presenting credentials at the presidential residence in Jerusalem, May 18. (Ohad Zwigenberg/AP)
For years, Somaliland’s quest for international recognition dominated discussions about its future. Increasingly, however, geopolitical considerations are becoming just as important.
The territory’s coastline overlooks maritime routes through which a significant portion of global trade and energy supplies pass each year.
The strategic value of that location has grown further as Iran-backed Houthi forces in Yemen continue attacks on commercial shipping in the Red Sea.
Western military planners have increasingly viewed ports and airfields along the African side of the Red Sea as critical infrastructure for monitoring regional security threats and protecting maritime commerce.
Several security experts have previously suggested that Berbera could eventually become a major logistics hub for Western and allied military operations in the region.
The latest allegations appear to reinforce those assessments.
Risks for Somaliland
While the growing strategic interest offers Somaliland opportunities to strengthen international partnerships, it also carries risks.
Iran and its regional allies have repeatedly warned against the expansion of Israeli or Western military influence near the Red Sea.
Analysts say any perception that Somaliland is facilitating Israeli military activity could increase security concerns for the territory and potentially draw it into broader regional rivalries.
The reports also create diplomatic sensitivities for Somalia's federal government, which continues to regard Somaliland as part of Somalia and opposes any international actions that could strengthen Somaliland’s claims to statehood.
A New Geopolitical Reality
Whether the claims regarding Israeli operations in Somaliland are ultimately confirmed or disputed, the reports underscore a broader reality: the Horn of Africa is becoming increasingly important in global security competition.
What was once largely a regional dispute over Somaliland’s political status is now intersecting with some of the most consequential geopolitical confrontations in the world.
As tensions between Iran, Israel, Gulf states and Western powers continue to reshape the Middle East, Somaliland’s strategic location on the edge of the Red Sea is placing it at the center of a contest that extends far beyond the Horn of Africa.
About the Author
Mohamed Farah is a senior editor at Somali Report, based in London, covering geopolitics, trade, business, and security across the Horn of Africa and the Red Sea region.