Somaliland Offers US Foothold Against Iran-Backed Houthis
A self-declared African republic is threatening to upend Iran’s proxy warfare strategy in the Red Sea by offering the United States access to a strategically positioned deep-water port and airbase, a development that has left Tehran’s leadership “deeply threatened,” according to Fox News.
Somaliland — a breakaway state that declared independence from Somalia in 1991 but has remained largely unrecognized internationally — has formally offered Washington access to its coast, including the port of Berbera and its Cold War-era airfield, positioning itself as a potential logistics hub for US and allied naval operations overlooking the Bab el-Mandeb Strait.
A Strategic Chokepoint Under Pressure
The offer comes at a moment of heightened strategic importance for the Red Sea corridor. Since the Strait of Hormuz was effectively closed in late February 2026 following the US-Israel air campaign against Iran, the Bab el-Mandeb Strait has become the primary maritime route for Middle East oil exports to Asia, as NPR reported.
Iran has been pressing its Houthi proxies in Yemen to renew attacks on Red Sea shipping, according to reports from March 2026. The Houthis have conducted over 100 attacks on commercial and military vessels in the Bab el-Mandeb corridor since October 2023, and any disruption to Red Sea shipping now would have severe global economic consequences.
Somaliland’s Offer
Somaliland’s Foreign Minister, Abdirahman Dahir Adam, confirmed the longstanding offer in an interview with Fox News Digital, stating: “At a time when the Strait of Hormuz is under pressure and threats to the Red Sea are escalating, Somaliland has reiterated its longstanding offer to provide the United States with access along our coast. We have been clear about this in times of peace, and we are equally clear today.”
The offer reportedly includes storage space for Tomahawk missiles. Adam noted that US destroyers currently require up to two weeks of travel to resupply after expending missile batteries in the Red Sea, a gap that Berbera’s proximity could dramatically reduce.
Why Iran Is Rattled
Middle East and foreign policy expert Lisa Daftari, editor-in-chief of The Foreign Desk, explained Iran’s concern: “Iran’s regime is deeply threatened by what Somaliland represents in an emerging pro-Western, potentially pro-Israel foothold overlooking the Bab el-Mandeb, that could blunt Tehran’s leverage via the Houthis over Red Sea shipping and Israel.”
Edmund Fitton-Brown, a senior fellow at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies and former UK ambassador to Yemen, added that Iran “opposes any recognition of it primarily because Israel is the first state to recognize it, and Iran will oppose anything that Israel does.” He noted that Somaliland represents “a potential base for anti-Houthi enforcement, i.e. a threat to the Iranian Axis of Resistance.”
US Military Interest and Diplomatic Dilemmas
The US military has already been engaging with Somaliland below the radar. AFRICOM Commander Gen. Dagvin Anderson visited Somaliland in November 2025 to meet with President Abdirahman Mohamed Abdullahi and inspect port facilities. According to a Somaliland government source, US military delegations visit every two months, with the most recent visit in the second half of April 2026.
Maj. Gen. (Ret.) Kenneth P. Ekman, former AFRICOM/J5 lead, noted the strategic value: “While we enjoy good access in Djibouti, this access is singular and competes with the Chinese presence. Additional access to the port of Berbera, located in Somaliland, provides redundancy and a relationally different partner. Frankly, the U.S. military, along with some of our allies and partners, need port access in Berbera.”
However, the US faces a diplomatic dilemma. The Pentagon publicly maintains its strategic partnership with the Federal Government of Somalia, which considers Somaliland part of its sovereign territory. A Pentagon official told Fox News Digital: “The United States maintains its strategic partnership with the Federal Government of Somalia.”
Congressional Push for Recognition
Sen. Ted Cruz (R-TX), chairman of the Senate Subcommittee on Africa and Global Health, is advocating for full US recognition of Somaliland. He told Fox News Digital: “Somaliland promises to be a critical counterterrorism ally for the United States, both because of its strong willingness to partner with us and because of its unique location. We should recognize the Republic of Somaliland as an independent state and, in the meantime, significantly boost our counterterrorism cooperation.”
The Houthi Threat
The Houthis have explicitly threatened to strike any Israeli or Western military presence in Somaliland and warned they could move to choke the Bab el-Mandeb if conflict escalates. As War on the Rocks noted in a recent analysis, any Israeli or American presence in Berbera “places Ethiopia’s prospective trade route directly in the Houthis’ crosshairs.”
What’s Next
The White House has indicated that Iran’s proxies have been weakened. Anna Kelly, White House principal deputy press secretary, stated: “The United States Military achieved all of the goals laid out for Operation Epic Fury — including weakening Iran’s proxies. Now, Iran is being strangled economically — giving President Trump all the cards as negotiations continue.”
Whether the Trump administration will formalize a basing relationship with Somaliland or go as far as diplomatic recognition remains an open question. The AEI noted that while the Pentagon and many in Congress favor recognition, the State Department has been more cautious, preferring to maintain the “One Somalia” policy.
For now, Somaliland’s offer places a new card on the table in an already complex geopolitical game — one that could reshape the balance of power in the Red Sea and beyond.