Israel has appointed its first ambassador to Somaliland, a move that follows its recognition of Somaliland’s independence, which the region first declared in 1991.
Israeli media reported the appointment of Michael Lotem, who has previously served as Israel’s ambassador to several different African countries. Somalia’s federal government, which is based in Mogadishu, condemned the move as a “direct breach” of Somalia’s sovereignty.
Israel is eyeing establishing a military base in Somaliland, which has a coast on the Gulf of Aden, making it a potential launch pad for attacks on Yemen. Last month, Bloomberg reported that Somaliland officials are willing to allow Israel to gather intelligence and conduct operations against Yemen’s Houthis, officially known as Ansar Allah.
The report said that last June, Israeli officials visited Somaliland and surveyed the beaches in search of a potential location for a military installation to use against Yemen. One area that’s under consideration is about 62 miles west of the port city of Berbera, where the UAE, which has diplomatic relations with Israel, has a military airstrip.
Somaliland has also offered the US military access to its ports if the US recognized its independence, and the head of US Africa Command visited the region late last year. President Trump has said he is “looking into” recognizing Somaliland, though as things stand, there are no known plans for a US base in the region.
But a little further east in Bosaso, a port city on the Gulf of Aden in Somalia’s Puntland region, the US military has been establishing a presence as it has significantly ramped up airstrikes against an ISIS affiliate in the region in support of the local Puntland government.
The US military had been using an airbase established by the UAE in Bosaso, though the UAE has reportedly pulled its military out of the area after a strong backlash due to its arming of the RSF in Sudan through the base. It’s unclear at this time if the US continues to use the same base or if its aircraft carrying out strikes in Puntland are coming from other bases in Africa.
