Israeli military shipment sent to Somalia under UN designation – Report
Lebanon’s al-Mayadeen network reported that a military-linked shipment from Israel arrived in Mogadishu under the designation of a U.N. office.
Mogadishu (Somali Report) — A military shipment from Israel arrived in the Somali capital under the designation of a United Nations office in Mogadishu, Lebanon’s Al Mayadeen network reported Wednesday, citing senior regional strategic sources.
The consignment weighed about 1,000 kilograms, departed Tel Aviv, transited through Nairobi, and arrived in Mogadishu on June 21. The network said the shipment was registered as destined for a U.N. office in the Somali capital.
The sources cited by al-Mayadeen said the cargo contained an “advanced communications system” intended for military and intelligence use. They said the equipment was supplied by Mer Security and Communications, a company based in Or Yehuda, Israel.
The report did not identify the U.N. office said to have received the shipment.
Somali authorities, the United Nations and Israeli officials had not immediately commented on the report.
The allegation comes amid growing regional scrutiny of reported Israeli activity in the Horn of Africa and the Red Sea corridor, a strategically important maritime route linking the Gulf of Aden, the Bab el-Mandeb Strait and the Red Sea.
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On June 25, Abdul-Malik al-Houthi, leader of Yemen’s Ansarullah movement, warned that the group would act against what he described as expanding Israeli activity in Somalia.
He also accused Israel of seeking a foothold in Somalia to influence the Gulf of Aden and the Bab el-Mandeb Strait, a key shipping lane connecting the Red Sea to the Arabian Sea.
“We are monitoring with great concern the developments on the ground in Somalia and what the Israeli enemy is doing to take control of the Gulf of Aden and Bab al-Mandab,” al-Houthi said.
He called on countries bordering the Red Sea to adopt a unified position against Israeli interference in the region.
The report follows Israel’s controversial recognition of Somaliland, the breakaway region in northern Somalia, and Somaliland’s decision to open an embassy in Jerusalem. The move drew criticism from Somali officials, opposition figures and some Muslim-majority countries.
Somaliland declared independence from Somalia in 1991 but has not received broad international recognition. Somalia’s federal government maintains that Somaliland remains part of its territory and rejects foreign recognition of the region.
Somaliland officials have said they are seeking international partnerships based on their own interests. Critics say closer ties with Israel could deepen tensions in the Horn of Africa and expose the region to conflicts linked to the Red Sea and the Middle East.
About the Author
Osman Hassan is a Senior Editor at the Somali Report based in Nairobi with over 15 years of experience in journalism. He has worked with local and international media outlets in Somalia and is an award-winning journalist. His reporting focuses on politics, security, and regional affairs in the Horn of Africa.