The leader of the revolution, Sayyed Abdulmalik al-Houthi, explicitly pledged to conduct military strikes against any Israeli military base or permanent presence established in Somalia.

Speaking during an address commemorating Martyrs’ Day, Sayyed Abdulmalik framed the potential Israeli presence in Somalia as a direct and unacceptable threat to Yemen, the peoples of the region, and the vital waterways of the Red Sea and the Bab el-Mandeb Strait.

“This is a matter we can never remain silent about in the face of such a danger,” the leader declared. “Mere statements of condemnation are of no importance or value whatsoever. Practical stances are necessary.”

Outlining a clear military posture, he stated: “We are continuing with monitoring operations, working to strengthen our monitoring, and are serious about targeting any Israeli deployment in Somalia—a military base or similar permanent Zionist presence—that we find accessible to us. In the manner that we can target it, we will not hesitate in militarily targeting it.”

The leader also accused the Israeli enemy of persistently attempting to achieve its objectives in Somalia by exploiting its strategic geographic location opposite the Gulf of Aden. He characterized a recent visit by Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar to the self-declared republic of Somaliland as a covert “infiltration.”

Sayyed Abdulmalik detailed that Sa’ar traveled secretly to Ethiopia and then moved to “Somaliland” on a Romanian-registered aircraft, asking why such stealth was necessary for an official visit if not due to fear.

“The Zionist minister was afraid of the Yemeni position,” he concluded, “and there is nothing in the Arab or Islamic position to frighten him.”

The Horn of Africa and the Red Sea region have witnessed growing geopolitical competition amid heightened tensions over maritime security and trade routes.

Recent Israeli engagement with “Somaliland,” an unrecognized self-declared entity in northern Somalia, has drawn regional attention, particularly in light of ongoing conflicts involving Yemen and escalating disputes over control of strategic waterways such as Bab al-Mandab, a critical chokepoint for global shipping and energy supplies.

Al Masirah report