Somaliland's Berbera Airport has undergone major expansion since late 2025, according to satellite imagery, fuelling speculation that the UAE is building a military base there to serve the strategic interests of Abu Dhabi and its allies, the United States and Israel.
The airport – strategically situated near the southern entrance to the Red Sea – has seen significant infrastructure development since October last year, according to a report published on Tuesday by Le Monde , which argues that the project is likely linked to the construction of a new military facility.
Berbera's proximity to the Gulf of Aden and the Bab al-Mandeb Strait makes it a highly strategic port, placing it at the heart of a growing struggle among regional and global powers to shape security and trade routes in the Horn of Africa and the Red Sea.
These developments come amid intensifying competition over international shipping lanes, as tensions between the US, Israel and Iran place the Strait of Hormuz , one of the world's most vital maritime chokepoints, back at the centre of regional confrontation.
Le Monde , citing anonymous sources familiar with the project, reported that the construction is being carried out by the UAE on behalf of the US and Israel, with the objective of establishing ammunition depots.
The UAE signed an agreement with Somaliland in 2017 that granted Abu Dhabi the right to establish a military base in Berbera and to use the airport for military purposes.
The newspaper further reported that, following Israel's recognition of Somaliland's independence in December 2025, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu sought to establish a forward Israeli outpost on the Gulf of Aden, close to Yemen's coast, where the Houthi movement is based.
The Iran-backed group has repeatedly threatened to disrupt shipping through the Bab al-Mandeb Strait since the start of the US-Israel war with Iran.
Although both Israel and Somaliland have denied any formal defence agreement or plans to host Israeli bases, the newspaperreported that Somaliland intelligence officers have quietly travelled to Tel Aviv for training, and that Israeli military delegations have visited both the Somaliland capital, Hargeisa, and Berbera.
Although both Israel and Somaliland have denied any formal defence agreement or plans to host Israeli bases, the newspaper reported that Somaliland intelligence officers have quietly travelled to Tel Aviv for training, and that Israeli military delegations have visited Hargeisa and Berbera.
Citing an East Africa-based security source, Le Monde also reported that Israeli military personnel are already visiting the base and could use it as a potential launch point for operations targeting Yemen.
The UAE previously used facilities in Berbera for logistical and military purposes during its intervention in Yemen before announcing a reduction in its military presence there.
In January this year, the UAE reportedly evacuated its ally, Aidarus al-Zubaidi , leader of Yemen's Southern Transitional Council (STC), through Berbera.