By Abdullahi Salad - Reporter
Somalia, 20 April 2026 – Somalia seeks to counter Israel's moves on Somaliland by leveraging rising tensions in Bab el-Mandeb, a chokepoint linking the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden that has become a focus of regional power competition.
Although Somalia does not directly control the Bab el-Mandeb strait, its geographic position places it along what can be described as a secondary corridor—allowing it to indirectly influence Israel’s supply routes, especially those originating from Asia.
Supplies to Israel from Asia, including countries such as India and China, typically travel through the Indian Ocean, entering the Gulf of Aden where Somalia’s northern coastline lies along this route, before proceeding through the Bab el-Mandeb strait and onward to Israeli ports such as Haifa or Ashdod.
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Somalia’s importance in this maritime chain is further reinforced by security dynamics. Houthi attacks in the Red Sea have heightened fears among shipping companies, prompting some vessels to avoid close proximity to the strait and instead move nearer to Somali waters as a perceived safer alternative.
Combined with remarks from Somalia’s ambassador to Ethiopia, Abdullahi Warfa, who warned that access to the Bab el-Mandeb could be restricted if Somalia’s sovereignty is violated, and discussions at the Antalya Diplomacy Forum which heavily focused on maritime security and key trade routes, Somalia increasingly views itself as possessing geographic leverage to defend its sovereignty.