Recent reporting by Le Monde, authored by Noé Hochet-Bodin, Francesca Fattori, and Liselotte Mas, highlights significant expansion activity at Berbera Airport in Somaliland, suggesting the site is evolving into a strategic hub linked to the United Arab Emirates (UAE), the United States, and Israel.
The reporting is based on satellite imagery analysis, on-the-ground observation in Berbera, and interviews with security and industry sources, including unnamed officials and experts.
Satellite imagery and security sources indicate that construction has intensified since late 2025, including
- runway expansion,
- excavation of underground facilities,
- and infrastructure that may support logistics, fuel storage, and air-defense systems.
Access restrictions around the airport have also increased, reflecting its shift from a largely civilian facility toward a more sensitive strategic installation.
The development is part of a wider geopolitical realignment in the Red Sea corridor, one of the world’s most important maritime routes near the Bab al-Mandab Strait.
The UAE is reported to be the primary actor implementing the works, while the United States and Israel are described as having growing operational and strategic interest in the facility.
This positioning places Berbera in emerging competition with Djibouti, which currently hosts multiple international military bases, including those of the United States and China.
Washington, through AFRICOM, is reportedly seeking greater operational flexibility in Somaliland, while Israel is increasingly focused on maritime security dynamics linked to Yemen and Red Sea shipping routes.
Economically, the expansion could significantly enhance Somaliland’s role as a logistics gateway connecting Ethiopia to the sea, attracting investment, improving trade capacity, and strengthening regional integration
Overall, Berbera is becoming a focal point in the shifting balance of power over Red Sea access, maritime security, and strategic influence in one of the world’s most contested trade corridors.
For note :
A broader alignment is increasingly visible among the involved parties.
- The United States, which maintains an advanced military and security relationship with Israel, is reportedly seeking to establish more direct engagement frameworks in Somaliland, as reflected in recent State Department communications to Congress.
- Israel, having already signed a joint strategic declaration with Somaliland, is deepening its security and intelligence cooperation.
This builds on Somaliland’s earlier long-standing agreements with the United Arab Emirates, which itself maintains structured defense and infrastructure arrangements with all parties involved.
Taken together, these developments suggest that the actors are gradually moving toward the finalization of coordinated cooperation frameworks, with the remaining focus appearing to be on refining the legal and institutional arrangements underpinning their strategic engagement.
The article, titled “UAE Builds Military Base in Somaliland for US and Israel,” was written by Noé Hochet-Bodin, Francesca Fattori, and Liselotte Mas for Le Monde.
Somaliland 🤝 Israel 🤝USA🤝UAE
lemonde.fr/en/le-monde-afric…
