Israel's Foreign Ministry denied a report claiming that Israel deployed a small military force to Somaliland this year. The denial came on Monday, June 22, 2026, after Middle East Eye reported, citing a senior Somali government source, that about 50 Israeli soldiers were sent to the separatist region in northern Somalia soon after Israel recognized Somaliland as an independent state in December and after the conflict with Iran resumed at the end of February.
According to the report, Somali intelligence believed Israel had chosen soldiers of African origin, especially Ethiopian-Israelis, so they would be less noticeable and could blend more easily into the local population. The Foreign Ministry responded on X that the report was "FAKE NEWS."
The article also said Israel appointed Michael Lotem as its first ambassador in Hargeisa, the capital of Somaliland, after the recognition. That move drew condemnation from most countries in the region.
The report further noted a reaction from Yemeni Deputy Chief of Staff Ali Hamoud al-Mushki, who said the alleged Israeli presence in Somaliland was a threat and a military action against Yemen and the wider region. He warned it could become "the spark for an explosion" with broad consequences for maritime security in the Red Sea, the Arabian Sea, and the region.