Israel Plans to Deploy Submarines in Somaliland

Israel is exploring the possibility of establishing a naval presence at the port of Berbera in Somaliland.

New relations between the countries could allow the Israeli Navy to use this location to deploy its Dolphin-class submarines, according to Defence-Network.

The port of Berbera is located across from Yemen. This geographical position provides Israel with a strategic vantage point for monitoring the activities of the Yemeni Houthis and Iran in the Gulf of Aden and the southern Red Sea.

At least one Dolphin submarine has already been deployed to the Persian Gulf to respond to potential escalatory actions by Iran.

In addition, the submarines protect Israeli offshore gas platforms and monitor key sea lanes in the Mediterranean Sea.

Submarines of this class are capable of launching various types of missiles. Among them are the Israeli-developed Popeye Turbo cruise missiles, which have an estimated range of at least 1,500 km.

The Somaliland leadership has already welcomed Israeli investments and granted access to its ports, although there is currently no official confirmation of the submarines’ extended stay.

It should be noted that the administration of US President Donald Trump is considering recognizing Somaliland in exchange for permission to establish a naval base.