In a move that threatens to ignite a new front in a volatile region, the leader of Yemen's Houthi rebels has issued a direct and public threat of military action against the breakaway region of Somaliland. Abdul-Malik al-Houthi declared that any Israeli presence there would be considered a "legitimate target" for his group's missiles and drones, dramatically expanding the stated scope of their ongoing conflict.
The televised warning this week frames Somaliland, which has sought international partnerships to bolster its sovereignty bid, as a potential extension of the Houthi's maritime campaign against Israel. "We are ready to target... any Israeli presence in the vicinity of the Bab al-Mandab Strait and the Red Sea, whether in Somalia, Eritrea, or specifically in Somaliland," al-Houthi stated, marking the first time the Iran-aligned group has explicitly named the de facto independent region.
A Delicate Position and a Regional Spark
The threat has placed Somaliland in a precarious diplomatic and security position. While officials in Hargeisa have consistently denied hosting any Israeli military bases—reiterated again by an anonymous senior security official following the speech—the Houthi declaration draws them into a high-stakes geopolitical confrontation. Analysts warn the move is designed to pressure Somaliland, intimidate neighboring states, and test the resolve of international powers, primarily the United States.
"This directly expands the Houthi's declared zone of conflict," said Dr. Abdi Mohamud, a Horn of Africa security specialist. "By publicly drawing Somaliland into their confrontation with Israel, they are introducing a volatile new element into an already unstable region."
The United States, which has conducted airstrikes against Houthi targets in Yemen to protect commercial shipping, has not yet publicly responded to this new threat. The warning underscores the Houthi's strategy of leveraging their control of strategic waterways to project influence far beyond Yemen's borders, potentially destabilizing the Horn of Africa in their proclaimed solidarity with Gaza.
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