Turkey and Israel are escalating a tense rivalry across the Horn of Africa, turning Somalia and Somaliland into strategic chessboards where energy riches and control of Red Sea trade routes are at stake.
Turkey has formalized agreements with Somalia for both offshore and onshore oil and gas exploration, while simultaneously expanding its military footprint—establishing bases, deploying equipment and personnel, and positioning naval and air assets to secure long-term access to maritime lanes.
Israel’s recognition of Somaliland as an independent state and its plans for a military base there signal a calculated effort to monitor Yemen’s Houthi movements and to safeguard strategic control of the Bab el-Mandeb Strait, a vital chokepoint for global shipping.
This competition over ports, pipelines and influence is part of a wider struggle for regional sway, intensified by sharp disagreements over Gaza and Syria and by shifting alliances across the Middle East and Africa.