Somaliland Offers Military Bases to Israel and US Amid Growing Red Sea Tensions
Somaliland President Abdirahman Mohamed Abdullahi Irro says his government is ready to offer military bases in Berbera to Israel and the United States if they are interested.
HARGEISA, Somalia (Somali Report) — Somaliland President Abdirahman Mohamed Abdullahi Irro said his government is ready to provide military bases to Israel and the United States in the port city of Berbera if the two countries are interested.
Irro made the remarks in comments cited by The Economist, while denying reports that Israel or the United States currently has a military presence or bases in Somaliland.
“There is currently no Israeli or US military presence in Somaliland,” Irro said, according to the British magazine.
He added that Somaliland, a breakaway region in northern Somalia, would be willing to host military bases for the two countries in Berbera should they seek such facilities.
The remarks come as competition among regional and global powers for strategic positions along the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden intensifies. Berbera, located on the Gulf of Aden, is considered strategically important because of its proximity to the Bab el-Mandeb Strait, a major maritime route linking the Red Sea with the Indian Ocean.
Irro also said the United Arab Emirates has a military base at the port of Bosaso in Somalia’s Puntland region. The Economist also referred to unconfirmed reports of an Israeli presence there.
The issue of foreign military bases in Somaliland is politically sensitive. Somalia considers Somaliland part of its territory and opposes agreements that could strengthen Hargeisa’s claim to independence.
Somaliland declared independence from Somalia in 1991 but has yet to secure broad international recognition. Its government has increasingly sought to use its strategic location and the port of Berbera to strengthen economic and diplomatic ties with foreign powers.
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Irro said he plans to visit Washington next month and hopes to meet face-to-face with US President Donald Trump.
If the meeting takes place, Irro said it would be the first direct meeting between a Somaliland president and a sitting US president.
He also said Somaliland expects the United States to recognise it in the future and that his government hopes at least one other country will recognise Somaliland before the end of this year.
The comments come amid wider geopolitical competition in the Horn of Africa and around the Red Sea, where countries are seeking access to ports and military facilities as security concerns grow over attacks by Yemen’s Houthi movement and disruptions to international shipping.
Turkey has also sought to mediate between the Somali government and Somaliland and maintains close relations with Mogadishu. Several rounds of Turkish-mediated talks in Ankara and Istanbul have failed to resolve the dispute between the two sides.
For Somaliland, offering access to Berbera could provide additional leverage in its long-running campaign for international recognition. For Israel and the United States, a military facility on the Gulf of Aden could potentially provide a strategic position close to the Red Sea and the maritime routes leading to the Suez Canal.
However, any move to establish foreign military bases in Somaliland would likely face strong opposition from Somalia and could further intensify geopolitical competition in the Horn of Africa region. Netanyahu announced in December 2025 that Israel recognized Somaliland as an independent state, a move that drew strong condemnation.
About the Author
Ahmed Omar is a senior journalist for Somali Report, based in Mogadishu. He has two decades of experience reporting on Somalia for international and local media. He covers politics, security, governance, business, trade, economic developments and regional affairs.