EXCLUSIVE: Israel Deploying SPYDER Missile Defense System in Bosaso, Puntland to Counter Houthi Drone Threats

In a major development with regional and domestic implications, Israeli-made SPYDER (Surface-to-Air Python and Derby) missile defense systems are being deployed in Bosaso, the commercial hub of Somalia’s Puntland region. The deployment, reportedly coordinated with the United Arab Emirates (UAE), aims to intercept drone attacks launched by Yemen’s Houthi forces across the Red Sea.

Positioned at Bosaso Airport, the mobile SPYDER system is designed to detect and neutralize a wide range of aerial threats, particularly drones and cruise missiles. Its arrival marks a deepening of foreign military involvement in Somali territory, with the Red Sea’s strategic corridor becoming a focal point in the Israel-UAE axis against Iranian-backed Houthi militias.

However, this development has sparked concern among Somali analysts and civil society groups who warn that the presence of Israeli defense systems on Somali soil could draw the country into a foreign conflict it has neither initiated nor endorsed.

Security experts caution that this move may shift Somalia’s status from neutral bystander to an active target in the escalating Yemen-Israel proxy conflict. “The deployment of Israeli missile systems in Bosaso could be seen by the Houthis as a direct provocation, potentially designating Somalia as a legitimate target,” one regional analyst stated.

Critics argue that such foreign military arrangements lack transparency and violate Somalia’s sovereignty, especially when not approved by the federal government or parliamentary oversight. They warn that the long-term consequences could include retaliatory attacks on Somali infrastructure and civilian areas, escalating the risk of conflict spillover from the Gulf region.

As questions rise about the legality and strategic wisdom of this deployment, observers are calling for urgent national dialogue on the implications of foreign military partnerships in Somalia.

Further updates to follow.