Somali President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud has declared that Somalia will not accept an Israeli military presence on its territory "under any circumstances", warning that Tel Aviv intends to establish a naval base in the breakaway region of Somaliland.
In an interview with Al Jazeera to be broadcast on Sunday, excerpts of which were released on the broadcaster's website, Mohamud stated that Israel plans to set up a naval facility in the strategic port city of Berbera and use the city's airport.
He said the genuine objective behind the initiative is to gain closer geopolitical proximity to Gulf states and Iran.
Mohamud stressed that external attempts to pull Somalia into the wider crises of the Middle East will not succeed, adding that his administration will overcome the security and diplomatic challenges created by Israeli manoeuvres.
The president maintained that local residents within self-declared Somaliland equally oppose any Israeli presence on the ground.
Sovereignty dispute
Somaliland, which declared unilateral independence in 1991, rejected by almost all UN member states, received official recognition from Israel in late December 2025.
The UN firmly adheres to the principle that Somaliland is an integral part of Somalia.
The Somali head of state also reaffirmed that Mogadishu has never established diplomatic relations with Israel, underscoring that his government views Israel as an aggressor against the Palestinian people whilst refusing to allow Somali territory to serve as an outpost for Middle Eastern military rivalries.
