Somaliland president says Israeli military presence could help deter regional threats

The president of Somaliland said during a visit to Washington that the breakaway territory would welcome an Israeli military presence to help deter regional threats.

“There is no Israeli security presence in Somaliland yet, but perhaps there will be one in the future,” President Abdirahman Mohamed Abdullahi said in an interview with Israel's Ynet News. “We will cooperate with any friendly country, and we need security partners, including Israel. If Israel is present, it will provide deterrence. We need protection. I do not rule out Israel or the United States establishing a presence here.”

The announcement comes as the Iranian-backed Houthi rebels in Yemen earlier this week captured the city of al-Mokha, near the strategically important Bab el-Mandeb Strait. A significant portion of global commercial shipping passes through the Red Sea waterway, raising concerns about security in the surrounding waters and the wider Horn of Africa region, where Somaliland is located.

However, Abdullahi downplayed the threat posed by the Houthis.

“We have been neighbors with Yemen and the Houthis for thousands of years, and as a country we currently have no direct conflict with them,” he said.

Abdullahi also reportedly offered to contribute up to 2,000 troops to a future U.S.-backed stabilization force in the Gaza Strip. Somaliland’s military reportedly numbers approximately 25,000 soldiers.

“We have enough military strength to defend ourselves,” he said, adding, “but perhaps we need technology and training.”

In December 2025, Israel became the first nation to officially recognize Somaliland’s independence from Somalia, a move condemned by much of the Arab and Muslim world. Somaliland is now reportedly seeking diplomatic recognition from Washington, which could potentially pave the way for additional international recognition.

“There are talks with the United States, but I cannot say there are currently any American promises,” Abdullahi said.

The Somaliland leader also revealed that his state seeks to become a member of the U.S.-backed Abraham Accords peace agreements.

“We want to be part of the Abraham Accords. That way we will have more friends,” he said.

It remains unclear whether Washington is prepared to become the second country to recognize Somaliland, which declared independence from Somalia more than three decades ago but has struggled to secure broad international diplomatic recognition.

“We asked the entire world for 25 years to recognize us,” Abdullahi said on the sidelines of the MEAD conference in Washington. “Now we are being seen, and we hope others will follow Israel.”

In June, Abdullahi personally inaugurated Somaliland’s embassy in Jerusalem during a historic visit to Israel.

While welcoming closer ties with Israel, he acknowledged that the relationship has also created security risks within the wider Muslim world.

Somalia has strongly opposed Israel’s recognition of Somaliland, with Abdullahi claiming that some Somali officials have even threatened military action against the territory. He also accused several countries, including Turkey, of supplying military equipment to Somalia.

“There are no free lunches,” he said. “We created enemies for ourselves because of the recognition, including Somalia and countries outside Africa that provide Somalia with weapons and intervene on the side of our rivals.”

Somaliland is reportedly interested in Israeli investment and technology. In return, it has offered to export goats, cattle and sheep to the Israeli market. Abdullahi also emphasized Somaliland’s potential as a tourist destination.

“We have 850 kilometers of beautiful coastline, and we want to build five-star hotels there,” he said. “You are more than welcome to build hotels in our country.”