Somaliland (a self-declared breakaway region in the Horn of Africa that has sought independence from Somalia since 1991) has emerged as a fierce arena of geopolitical competition, driven by its position on the southern shore of the Gulf of Aden near the Bab al-Mandab strait — a chokepoint through which roughly 21,000 commercial vessels pass annually, representing 10% of global maritime traffic. Israel became the first country to formally recognise Somaliland late last year, a move analysts link to its longstanding "periphery strategy" of building alliances outside the Arab world, as well as its interest in using the territory as a forward base for intelligence operations against Houthi forces in Yemen and Iranian influence in the region. Ethiopia signed a memorandum of understanding with Somaliland in early 2024 granting it a 20-kilometre coastal lease around the port of Berbera in exchange for recognition — a deal Addis Ababa sees as vital for regaining sea access lost when Eritrea gained independence — while Egypt and Saudi Arabia have moved to counter these developments by forming a new military alliance with Mogadishu, seeking to preserve Somali territorial integrity and Red Sea stability.