Friday August 14, 2026
The Houthis who are backed by Iran launched their attacks on shipping last month
London (HOL) — A senior Houthi official has warned that the group would target any Israeli military or intelligence presence in Somalia and other areas near Yemen’s borders, amid heightened tensions in the Red Sea and around the strategic Bab al-Mandab Strait.
Mohammad al-Bukhaiti, a member of the Houthi political bureau, made the remarks Wednesday, according to Iran’s Tasnim news agency. His comments came after Israel recognized Somaliland as an independent state, a move that has heightened regional tensions and drawn opposition from Somalia’s federal government.
Al-Bukhaiti said the Houthis would regard an Israeli military or intelligence presence in areas near Yemen as a potential target.
The warning comes as Somaliland has sought international recognition since declaring independence from Somalia in 1991. Somalia’s federal government rejects Somaliland’s independence claim and has opposed Israel’s recognition of the territory, as well as any efforts by other countries to follow Israel’s lead.
The Red Sea and Bab al-Mandab Strait are strategically important shipping routes linking the Red Sea with the Gulf of Aden and the Indian Ocean. The waters have also become a major theater of conflict involving the Houthis, Israel and other regional and international powers.
The threat follows a deadly Houthi attack on a cargo ship in the Red Sea that killed six people and injured 10 others few days ago, according to reports. The Houthis said the vessel was carrying Saudi military equipment.
The attack appeared to be the first deadly Houthi strike on a vessel since the United States and Israel began striking Iran on Feb. 28, amid a broader regional conflict that has lasted more than five months.
The Houthis, who control much of northwestern Yemen, have repeatedly clashed with Yemen’s internationally recognized government, which operates largely from the southern port city of Aden after the Houthis seized the capital, Sanaa.
The latest warning adds to concerns that tensions surrounding Somaliland could have wider security implications for Somalia and the Horn of Africa, particularly because of the region’s proximity to the Bab al-Mandab Strait.
Somalia has continued to oppose Somaliland’s independence and has called on countries to respect its territorial integrity.
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