Transcript [00:00] Hey, everybody. [00:01] In this video, I'd like to do an update [00:03] on what's going on with the Houthis. You [00:05] know, there's been a lot of focus on [00:07] Hezbollah and Lebanon for obvious [00:09] reasons, you know, with the recent [00:11] agreements that have mentioned Lebanon [00:13] and Iran's focus on Lebanon, but they do [00:16] have other proxies, and there's been [00:18] some news and some developments. We [00:19] shouldn't think that those other [00:20] theaters are in a in a state of a [00:23] stalemate or anything. There's a lot [00:25] happening there. So, yeah, there's no [00:27] reason for more intro. Let's just get [00:28] right into the headlines. Uh I think [00:31] this is a really interesting [00:33] uh this is a really interesting story [00:34] happening here. So, this is a headline [00:35] from today. Yemen foils Houthi smuggling [00:39] of drone explosive boat components. [00:42] Three sail board Houthi giant giants [00:46] brigades were suspected of [00:48] said were suspected of links to the [00:50] Houthis were detained for questioning. [00:52] We'll get into the giants brigades are [00:54] soon. [00:56] So, uh Yemen's pro-government giants [00:59] brigades said on Tuesday, yesterday, [01:02] they intercepted a boat in the strategic [01:05] Bab el-Mandeb Strait carrying equipment [01:08] suspected of being intended for [01:09] manufacturing drones and explosive-laden [01:13] boats destined for Houthi-controlled [01:15] territory, highlighting what the [01:17] officials describe as the continued use [01:20] of maritime smuggling routes [01:23] to bolster the group's military [01:25] capabilities. [01:26] The force said in a statement that the [01:28] vessel was intercepted while attempting [01:30] to sail toward the the western province [01:33] of Hodeidah, whose ports remain under [01:36] the control of the Iran-aligned Houthi [01:38] movement. [01:39] Okay, let's uh let's pull out a map and [01:42] understand what we're talking about [01:43] here. Okay. Uh here's the Strait of [01:45] Hormuz. [01:46] Um here's Iran. Right, that's where our [01:49] focus has been. Here's Israel. Okay. [01:52] And down here, here's Yemen. And here is [01:55] the Bab el-Mandeb Strait. That is the [01:57] name for [01:59] this [02:01] this choke point, okay, which leads up [02:03] to the Red Sea, which of course then [02:06] leads up to the Suez Canal, and uh and [02:09] up into Israel's port of Aqaba up here [02:12] or or Jordan. [02:13] But mainly, in terms of a shipping [02:14] route, it leads up here. But the Bab [02:16] al-Mandab Strait also serves for the uh [02:20] for shipping to come out this way and [02:23] have an alternate route out to the Red [02:24] Sea. In terms of oil, Saudi Arabia has a [02:26] pipeline, the um [02:29] the uh East-West pipeline that goes from [02:31] its major oil fields in the eastern part [02:33] of Saudi Arabia all the way over to [02:34] Yanbu over here, [02:36] and then [02:38] and then that oil can either go up to [02:40] the Suez towards Europe or it could go [02:41] down and out uh down and out down [02:44] through the Bab al-Mandab Strait, out [02:46] into the out through the Gulf of Aden, [02:48] out and then eastward towards wherever. [02:51] Uh towards the Far East, towards India, [02:52] China, wherever it may be going. [02:54] Okay, so the Bab al-Mandab Strait is a [02:56] very important choke point, and Hodeidah [02:59] port is uh the Hodeidah province is in [03:02] the western part of Yemen. The northwest [03:04] of Yemen is mostly controlled by the [03:07] Houthis. [03:09] Okay? [03:10] So that that level sets us here. Let's [03:12] get back to the story. And I might as [03:14] well tell you who the Giants Brigades [03:15] are. So the Giants Brigades, we'll get [03:16] into them soon, but uh [03:18] it's basically the unified [03:20] uh [03:21] the unified military [03:23] of Yemen against the Houthis. Again, [03:26] I'll explain more in a couple minutes, [03:28] so hold on to that thought. [03:30] Three sailors on board who the Giants [03:32] Brigades said were suspected of links to [03:33] the Houthis were detained for [03:35] questioning. According to the statement, [03:37] the cargo included hydraulic drilling [03:39] equipment, computer servers, electronic [03:42] chips used to operate drones, GPS [03:45] navigation systems for precision [03:47] guidance, engines, and specialized [03:49] equipment believed to be intended for [03:51] assembling explosive boats. The Houthis [03:53] did not immediately comment on the [03:55] allegations. [03:56] The interception comes as regional and [03:58] international security agencies [04:00] increasingly focus on maritime smuggling [04:03] networks operating across the Red Sea, [04:05] Gulf of Aden, and the Bab el-Mandeb [04:08] Strait. Okay, Gulf of Aden, this is the [04:10] Gulf of Aden. [04:12] This is the Red Here's the Red Sea, Gulf [04:14] of Aden. What connects the Red Sea to [04:16] the Gulf of Aden is the Bab el-Mandeb [04:18] Strait. Okay. [04:22] Uh it's one of the world's busiest [04:23] shipping lanes linking the Indian Ocean [04:25] with the Suez Canal. Yemeni authorities [04:27] say the narrow waterway has become one [04:28] of the principal routes used to move [04:31] weapons, electronic equipment, and [04:32] dual-use technologies into [04:34] Houthi-controlled areas. Security [04:36] officials say smugglers frequently rely [04:38] on small wooden dhows, fishing vessels, [04:42] and other traditional boats that can [04:44] blend into normal commercial and fishing [04:46] activity, making them considerably [04:48] harder to detect than larger cargo [04:51] ships. And you take a look up here, you [04:52] see the you know, there's some small [04:54] boats up there. I don't know if this is [04:55] connected to the story. [04:57] >> [snorts] [04:58] >> Rather than transporting complete weapon [05:00] systems, they often move individual [05:02] components that can later be assembled [05:04] inside Yemen into drones, missiles, or [05:07] explosive boats. A previous United [05:09] Nations report concluded that the [05:11] Houthis had developed an increasingly [05:13] sophisticated domestic military [05:15] manufacturing capability, relying [05:17] heavily on imported electronic [05:20] components and equipment smuggled [05:22] through the maritime supply routes. [05:23] Notice it hasn't mentioned anything yet [05:24] about the origin of the stuff on these [05:27] boats. We'll get to that. According to [05:29] the report, these materials have enabled [05:31] the group to manufacture drones and [05:33] remotely controlled explosive boats that [05:35] have become central to its military [05:37] strategy. Yemeni officials say repeated [05:39] seizures near Bab el-Mandeb demonstrate [05:42] that attempts to move military equipment [05:45] into Houthi-held territory continue [05:48] despite tighter international naval [05:50] patrols. [05:51] Abdul Rahman al-Mahrami, commander of [05:54] the Giants Brigades and a member of [05:55] Yemen's Presidential Leadership Council, [05:59] praised what he described as a [06:00] significant security achievement. He [06:02] called for greater efforts to combat [06:04] maritime smuggling and tighten [06:07] restrictions on networks supplying armed [06:09] groups with military equipment. Security [06:11] analysts say the Houthis' increasing [06:13] reliance on small vessels provides [06:16] several operational advantages. Their [06:18] limited size allows them to alter routes [06:20] quickly, avoid radar detection more [06:24] easily than larger ships, and mix with [06:26] legitimate fishing traffic operating [06:28] along Yemen's lengthy coastline. [06:31] The latest seizure, the latest seizure, [06:34] comes amid heightened regional tensions [06:36] following months of attacks on [06:37] commercial shipping in the Red Sea. [06:40] The Houthis have repeatedly used drones, [06:42] missiles, and explosive boats in [06:44] operations targeting commercial and [06:46] naval vessels, prompting the United [06:48] States and several allied countries to [06:50] expand their naval presence in the [06:51] region in an effort to protect [06:53] international shipping and intercept [06:55] suspected weapons shipments. Yemeni [06:57] government officials and international [06:59] security organizations have also [07:01] reported what they describe as growing [07:04] cooperation between the Houthis and [07:06] Somalia's al-Shabaab militant group in [07:09] smuggling weapons and petroleum products [07:11] across the Gulf of Aden. Just for [07:13] context, where is Somalia? This is [07:16] Somalia right here. [07:18] So, Somalia is also in a very strategic [07:19] location. [07:21] Uh officially, according to most nations [07:23] in the world and according to Somalia [07:25] itself, this piece here is also part of [07:27] Somalia, but it had it broke away uh a [07:30] few decades ago and is called [07:32] Somaliland. [07:34] And we're going to we're going to talk [07:36] about Somaliland extensively pretty in a [07:38] few minutes. [07:40] That's the area that is that is [07:42] pro-Western, they're democratic, they [07:45] Israel recognize them, okay? So, that's [07:48] Somaliland, here's Somalia, and in [07:50] Somalia is jihadist, it is [07:54] one of the worst places in the world to [07:56] be a Christian, you basically get [07:57] killed. [07:59] I think on the list of persecuted [08:01] persecution of Christians countries, [08:02] Somalia is like right after North Korea, [08:04] it might be the worst place or second or [08:06] third worst worst place in the world to [08:07] be a Christian. It's pure jihadist [08:10] ISIS-like al-Shabaab, that's what [08:13] Somalia is, horrible place. [08:16] And um [08:17] So, what it says here is that [08:21] uh there's a growing cooperation between [08:23] the Houthis and al-Shabaab in smuggling [08:25] weapons and petroleum products across [08:28] the Gulf of Aden. According to [08:30] government sources, weapons and fuel are [08:32] allegedly transported to Somalia before [08:35] being concealed among livestock cargoes [08:38] and loaded onto wooden boats for onward [08:40] shipment to Houthi-controlled ports, [08:43] particularly Hodeidah. [08:46] Okay? [08:47] So, [08:49] here's Hodeidah, right there. [08:52] Okay, this is Hodeidah up here. [08:54] So, they're [08:56] So, there there you go, you see that on [08:58] the map. Good. [09:01] Iran has repeatedly denied US [09:03] accusations that it supplies weapons to [09:05] the Houthis. So, this is the first thing [09:06] we have about origin of this, and all it [09:08] says is that the Iranians deny it. The [09:10] United States has for years accused [09:12] Tehran of transferring military [09:13] equipment to the group through regional [09:15] smuggling networks. Yemen has observed a [09:17] fragile truce since April 2002, although [09:21] sporadic clashes continue on several [09:23] fronts. [09:25] Officials say continuing discovery of [09:27] suspected smuggling shipments [09:28] illustrates [09:30] that efforts to weaken the Houthis [09:31] increasingly extend beyond battlefield [09:34] operations to disrupting the maritime [09:36] logistics networks that sustain the [09:38] group's military capabilities. The task [09:40] remains difficult. Years of conflict [09:42] have severely weakened Yemen's Coast [09:44] Guard, which has lost much of its patrol [09:47] fleet and radar infrastructure, limiting [09:49] its ability to monitor the country's [09:51] extensive coastline and intercept [09:53] illicit maritime traffic. [09:55] Very much like in in Lebanon, [09:58] the Houthis are are have been for years [10:01] stronger than [10:03] the Yemeni military itself. Although [10:05] unlike Lebanon, the Houthis don't [10:06] control Yemen. They control a chunk of [10:09] Yemen. [10:10] They occupy basically a chunk of lemon [10:13] of Yemen, a piece of of Yemen, and the [10:15] rest of Yemen has been [10:18] Well, we'll talk about it in a moment, [10:19] kind of in a state of civil war, but [10:21] that's changing right now. [10:22] Government officials say additional [10:24] international support, equipment, and [10:26] intelligence sharing will be needed to [10:27] curb continued smuggling through one of [10:30] the world's most strategically important [10:31] waterways. Now, considering what [10:32] happened in Hormuz, you can understand [10:35] why there's now an increased priority on [10:37] making sure that these that these choke [10:38] points [10:40] are not weaponized by these Iran-backed [10:43] terrorist groups. So, you have Iran here [10:46] in in Hormuz, you have the Houthis here [10:48] in in uh [10:50] Bab el-Mandeb. [10:51] Okay. Now, what about the origins of [10:53] this? So, here's uh [10:55] a post by Mohammed Albasha. He covers [10:59] this whole region of the world, very [11:00] well-informed guy. This is also from [11:03] today. Third Houthi bound maritime [11:05] shipment intercepted in less than 12 [11:07] months. He's talking about the same [11:08] event, but he puts it in greater [11:10] context. He says this is the third one. [11:13] Okay, and he's got this little video of [11:14] what they found here. [11:16] And you can see them unloading the [11:18] equipment that they found on the ship. [11:19] Let's pull that up. [11:22] Right, these are the the Yemeni guys, [11:24] and this is some of the some of the [11:25] stuff that they found there. [11:27] Okay? [11:29] Not not exactly what we're looking at. [11:31] That's that. Okay, look what he says. [11:35] Seized cargo included drone navigation [11:38] systems, industrial network equipment, [11:41] precision manufacturing tools, and a [11:43] Chinese drilling rig. [11:45] Highlighting the continued flow of [11:47] dual-use technology. [11:49] So that's another thing they do. It's [11:50] dual-use technology and its components. [11:52] So there's always this plausible [11:54] deniability that it's not really weapon [11:55] systems. [11:57] And for those who aren't familiar with [11:58] the term, dual-use means it could be [11:59] used for military purposes or for [12:02] non-military purposes. Bottom line up [12:04] front. Today's maritime interdiction [12:07] near Bab al-Mandab Strait underscores [12:08] the importance of continued [12:10] international support for Yemen's [12:12] counter-smuggling efforts, particularly [12:14] the Yemen Coast Guard and other coastal [12:16] security forces responsible for securing [12:18] the country's territorial waters, [12:20] preventing illicit shipments of weapons [12:23] and dual-use technology from reaching [12:25] Houthi-controlled territory remains [12:26] essential to protecting freedom of [12:29] navigation through the Red Sea and Bab [12:30] al-Mandab Strait, enforcing the UN arms [12:33] embargo, and limiting the flow of [12:34] military supplies that sustain the [12:35] conflict. [12:37] This is the key paragraph. [12:39] This marks the third reported [12:41] interception [12:42] of a Houthi-linked shipment of military [12:45] or dual-use equipment in less than 12 [12:46] months. Coming only weeks after the [12:48] ceasefire between the United States, [12:50] Israel, and Iran, the seizure suggests a [12:53] procurement and logistics network on [12:55] that the seizure suggests that [12:58] procurement and logistics networks [12:59] supporting the Houthis remain active. [13:02] While the cargo's ultimate origin [13:03] remains under investigation, [13:06] the prevalence of Chinese-manufactured [13:09] industrial equipment highlights the [13:12] increasing role of commercially [13:14] available dual-use technologies in [13:16] sustaining modern military supply [13:18] chains. [13:20] Ah. [13:23] Dual-use [13:24] Chinese stuff. [13:26] And he's got pictures. He's got more [13:28] pictures of it down here. Here you see [13:29] examples of the these small boats [13:32] that they have here. There's more [13:33] pictures of the equipment. [13:37] And [13:40] and one of these pictures here, [13:42] there was Chinese characters on some [13:45] packaging, if I'm remembering correctly. [13:48] Yeah. [13:50] Take a look. That's Chinese writing [13:52] right there. [13:55] You know, so they found a lot of uh [13:57] a lot of Chinese components [13:59] in here, which [14:01] um when you think about it, [14:04] we're talking about um you know, China [14:06] has also been [14:08] of course supplying Iran with everything [14:10] it needs for years and has an interest [14:12] in keeping the Iranian uh apparatus [14:15] going. So, is this coming directly from [14:17] China? Was it purchased [14:19] by someone else? [14:20] That is under investigation. Okay. [14:24] Now, I mentioned the uh [14:26] you know, we talked about the Giants [14:27] Brigades that represent the government. [14:30] So, we have to back up a few months. Go [14:32] back to Go back to January. Okay, first [14:34] let me let me explain some some [14:35] background about um about what's been [14:38] going on [14:39] politically in Yemen for years. [14:41] So, [14:42] in Yemen, [14:44] you have the Houthis in the in the west [14:46] and the northwest of the country. You [14:47] have the official recognized Yemeni [14:49] government. [14:51] And then you have all these militias [14:53] who've been fighting each other, [14:56] but their common enemy is the Houthis, [14:58] but they also fight each other. There's [15:00] different independent groups. They seize [15:01] different regions of the country. [15:03] And then all the way in the east of the [15:04] country, for a long time there was a a [15:06] separatist group. There's still a lot of [15:09] separatists there, but in the eastern [15:11] region of the country, let me pull up [15:12] the map again. [15:13] Show you what I'm referring to. [15:15] Um in the east in in the eastern region [15:17] of Yemen, like in this area of Yemen, [15:19] out here, [15:21] in this in this region, that's first of [15:23] all where the main oil fields are. [15:25] But this part of the country has had a [15:28] lot of people who have wanted [15:30] independence. They want and um [15:33] secularists. They were backed by the UAE [15:35] for a while. [15:37] But basically the whole rest of Yemen [15:38] has not really been unified. So what [15:41] happened uh over the course of the last [15:44] 8 months or so is that the UAE backed [15:47] separatist secular group has kind of [15:49] been pushed out. They They kind of [15:51] disbanded really. [15:53] And and many of their fighters got [15:55] folded into this now more unified front. [16:01] The best way to explain this is to read [16:02] this article. This is an article from [16:04] January 10th of this year. [16:08] And I'll give us some important context [16:09] to what we're seeing. Yemen president [16:11] announces formation of supreme military [16:13] committee. [16:15] Thanks Saudi Arabia for support. Not a [16:17] surprising headline considering this is [16:19] an Arab News which is a Saudi royal [16:20] family owned [16:22] uh news website. Okay? So take that with [16:24] a you know with the appropriate grain of [16:26] salt. [16:29] Yemen's presidential leadership council [16:30] announced on Saturday the formation of a [16:32] supreme military committee. The [16:35] committee will be tasked with overseeing [16:37] and preparing all military forces for [16:39] the next phase of the Yemeni conflict. [16:41] As government aligned forces secured [16:43] control of key camps across the country, [16:46] said council president Rashad al al [16:49] Alimi. [16:51] In a televised address on Saturday, Al [16:53] Alimi said the committee operating under [16:55] the leadership of the coalition to [16:56] support legitimacy will also be [16:58] responsible for equipping, organizing, [17:00] and leading all military formations and [17:03] readying them in case the Houthi [17:05] militias reject peaceful solutions. The [17:08] Yemeni leader praised Saudi Arabia for [17:10] its sincere brotherly role in supporting [17:13] Yemen's unity, legitimacy, and stability [17:16] describing the kingdom's backing as a [17:18] lasting and responsible partnership for [17:20] Yemen and the wider region. [17:22] Al-Alimi said government forces had [17:24] successfully taken over camps in [17:26] Hadramout, Al Mahrah, the temporary [17:29] capital Aden, and other liberated [17:31] governorates, calling on Yemenis to [17:33] unite behind efforts to restore state [17:35] institutions and end the Houthi coup. [17:38] See, what's happening here is what what [17:40] happened here in January is that the [17:41] Saudis [17:43] the Saudis and the Emiratis had a [17:45] uh you know, we're really going at it, [17:46] backing different groups there. The [17:48] Emiratis were backing the separatists. [17:49] The Saudis eventually [17:51] won that. [17:52] But now, what the Saudis did was they [17:54] worked with the existing Yemeni [17:56] government, and they pulled together all [17:58] the different militias, including the [18:00] the old separatists, [18:01] and they pulled them all together so [18:03] that they could form one united front [18:06] to finally deal with the Houthis. That's [18:08] what this is about. [18:10] Let me jump down a little bit. [18:12] Um Al-Alimi urged those who had gone [18:15] astray to surrender their weapons, [18:16] return looted property, rejoin the ranks [18:19] of the state, while directing governors [18:21] to ensure continuity of vital services [18:23] and improve living conditions. He [18:25] underlined the importance of [18:26] strengthening security. [18:29] Okay, and working together with the [18:31] coalition. So, that's the background [18:35] >> [cough and clears throat] [18:35] >> Excuse me, of what's been happening in [18:37] Yemen [18:38] for the last year or so. [18:40] So, now at [18:42] you know, in the wake of Iran's [18:46] beat down by the Americans and and the [18:49] Israelis, [18:52] and now you have this more unified front [18:54] in Yemen, and they're working [18:57] to weaken the Houthis, and they're also [19:00] performing these interdictions [19:02] of Houthi of shipments to the Houthis, [19:05] as we saw as we started with as we saw [19:07] yesterday, uh this this top story that [19:10] we started with. [19:11] Okay, so this is all So that's the when [19:12] we talk about the Presidential [19:14] Leadership Council and the Giants [19:15] Brigades, we're talking about this this [19:18] new this new more unified Yemeni front. [19:21] Now, how unified is it and how long will [19:23] it stay unified? Hey, this in that in [19:25] this part of the world, [19:26] you know, the prospects are never that [19:27] good. But that's the lay of the land [19:30] right now. The Houthis benefited from [19:32] the infighting and all the anti-Houthi [19:34] camps in the Sunni camps, the [19:36] secularists, they benefited from that. [19:38] But now there's much more unity in the [19:40] Saudis are really overseeing this. [19:42] They're more than overseeing it. They're [19:43] paying the salaries. [19:45] The Saudis are really running the show [19:47] here. They're trying to gain greater [19:49] influence, which I'm not saying whether [19:51] it's a good or a bad thing. They want to [19:53] deal with the Houthis. [19:54] The Saudis want to get rid of the [19:55] Houthis once and for all. [19:57] And that's what this is about. [19:59] Uh that doesn't mean that they're not in [20:00] bed with some really bad actors. There's [20:02] some, you know, kind of ISIS-type Muslim [20:05] Brotherhood actors mixed in here also. [20:06] So it's no It's not like they're all [20:08] wonderful people on the on the Saudi [20:10] side, but [20:12] uh [20:13] in terms of threatening shipping lanes [20:15] in Bab al-Mandab, the Saudis want that [20:18] to be kept quiet. They have a They have [20:20] a major port at Yanbu uh [20:22] uh inside the Red Sea in the Bab [20:24] al-Mandab Strait. The It's very [20:26] important to them that this whole thing [20:28] gets kept very quiet. [20:30] Now, at the same time, [20:33] we have some uh some action going on [20:36] um in Somaliland. [20:38] So this is a headline from uh 5 days [20:40] ago, [20:41] June 26th, Yemen's Houthi group vows to [20:44] target any Israeli presence in breakaway [20:47] Somaliland. So what is this about? [20:49] So the Israelis recognized Somaliland [20:52] independence, but also have started to [20:55] integrate more with Somaliland. There [20:57] was a uh There's a big delegation from [20:59] Somaliland that's been in Israel for the [21:01] last week or so. Uh Israel's starting to [21:04] invest in uh uh, in water technology [21:06] down there, but also in security. The [21:09] Houthis say they will not stand idly by [21:11] in the face of any Israeli presence in [21:13] Somaliland. We'll learn more about that [21:14] presence very soon. [21:16] Yemen's Houthi group vowed Thursday, [21:18] that's last Thursday, almost a week ago, [21:20] to target any Israeli presence in [21:22] Somalia's breakaway region of [21:24] Somaliland. [21:25] That's what they call it because this is [21:26] a Turkish media outlet. They don't [21:28] recognize Somaliland independence. [21:31] Quote, "We are closely monitoring [21:32] developments in Somaliland and the [21:34] enemies attempts to transform it into a [21:36] foothold to control the Gulf of Aden, [21:38] the Bab al-Mandab Strait, and the Red [21:40] and the Red Sea." To control it, right? [21:42] Like, if Israel gets a foothold in [21:44] Somaliland, it's cuz they want to [21:45] control the Bab al-Mandab Strait. You [21:46] know what You know what control the Bab [21:48] al-Mandab Strait means for the Israelis? [21:49] It means that they stop the Houthis from [21:51] disrupting shipping there. [21:53] So, here's Somaliland. Israel is [21:56] reportedly setting up military [21:58] installations and working, you know, [22:00] working on defense and security issues [22:02] in Somaliland. Their goal [22:06] probably is to have a closer front to [22:09] deal with the Houthis, but we'll get [22:10] into that more in a moment. [22:16] Right? So, uh, this is Houthi leader [22:18] Abdul Malik al-Houthi said that oh, he [22:19] he wants to prevent We're going to [22:22] We're going to [22:23] uh, we're closely monitoring the enemies [22:25] attempts to control the Bab al-Mandab [22:27] Strait, he said in a televised speech. [22:30] He called on the Islamic nation, [22:33] the Islamic nation, and countries [22:35] bordering the Red Sea to take a unified [22:37] stance to prevent the enemy from [22:38] achieving this. Yemen will neither stand [22:40] idly in the face of any Israeli presence [22:42] in Somaliland, nor will it wait for [22:45] those who failed to act. He said, "The [22:47] Houthi group will take the initiative [22:49] whenever the enemy establishes any [22:51] presence to target it by all available [22:53] means." He also called on governments to [22:55] reform the situation in Somalia, [22:58] care for the brotherly Somali people, [23:01] and support them in confronting the [23:02] Israeli enemies aggression. [23:05] Last week Somaliland President Ab- [23:08] Abdirahman Mohamed Abdu- Abdu- Abdullahi [23:12] opened the breakaway regions embassy in [23:15] Jerusalem during his visit to Israel. [23:19] Somaliland opened their embassy in [23:20] Jerusalem. [23:22] Uh 2 weeks ago. Israel recognized [23:24] Somaliland as an independent sovereign [23:26] state in late December 2025, triggering [23:28] a massive wave of condemnation. [23:31] Somaliland, which has lacked official [23:32] recognition since declaring independence [23:35] from Somalia [23:37] in 1991, operates as a de facto [23:39] independent administrative, political, [23:41] and security entity. [23:43] Uh Mogadishu refuses to recognize [23:45] Somaliland as as an independent state. [23:47] It considers it part of Somalia. Great. [23:50] Okay, so that's fascinating. Let's take [23:52] a look at what's happening here. The [23:53] Houthis are putting out a statement. [23:56] They see the Somaliland president go to [23:59] go to Israel, open up an embassy, [24:01] increased cooperation on all fronts [24:03] between Israel and Somaliland, and he [24:05] says, "We're watching closely. We're [24:07] going to We're going to stand against [24:09] the you know the Israelis, the Zionists, [24:12] taking a foothold in Somaliland." [24:15] And here's the story on MEMRI, the [24:17] Middle East Media Research Institute, [24:18] from uh yesterday. [24:21] Yesterday. Yemeni media report, Houthi [24:24] Ansar Allah movement established [24:26] training camp in Somaliland. So the [24:27] Houthis, who are saying that the [24:29] Israelis, "We're watching the Israelis [24:30] getting trying to get a foothold in [24:32] Somaliland." And look what they did. In [24:34] Somaliland. That's That's right, the [24:35] good guys. The Houthis have set up a [24:37] training base [24:39] uh according to this Yemeni media [24:41] report, in Somaliland. [24:44] On June 27, 2026, 4 days ago, the [24:47] Aden-based daily Al-Ayyam published an [24:50] article claiming that Yemen's [24:52] uh Iran- Iran-backed Ansar Allah [24:55] movement, that's that's what we call the [24:56] Houthis, Has established a training camp [24:59] in the Togdheer region of the Somaliland [25:02] breakaway state. So, let's let's see [25:04] where Togdheer is. [25:07] Togdheer. [25:14] Here it is. This is the Togdheer region. [25:17] Okay? So, if we pull that back here, [25:21] they've established a a base in this [25:24] region. [25:25] According to this report, [25:27] the Houthis. [25:30] Based on an exclusive report published [25:32] the previous day by the UK-based Sheba [25:35] Intelligence, the article said that the [25:37] Houthi leader Abdul Malik al-Houthi [25:39] tasked a special committee headed by [25:42] Assistant Defense Minister for Logistics [25:44] Hassan al-Qulani with establishing the [25:46] camp. The committee reportedly [25:48] transferred Somalis and other Africans [25:52] who had trained at Houthi-run camps, as [25:54] well as Yemeni fighters and foreign [25:56] experts to Somaliland. [25:59] Since April, al-Qulani has allegedly [26:01] gathered large numbers of fighters at a [26:03] camp in a mountainous area with dense [26:06] tree growth located near Odweyne in the [26:10] Golis Mountains. Where's Odweyne? Let's [26:13] look for it. [26:16] Odweyne. [26:23] Let's see where it is. [26:28] Right there. [26:30] So, this in this mountainous area here, [26:32] they have apparently [26:34] um set up a camp. Citing an exclusive [26:37] report published the previous day by [26:39] UK-based Sheba Intelligence, the article [26:41] Houthi leader uh [26:43] the Houthi leader Abdul Malik al-Houthi [26:45] had tasked a special committee [26:47] headed by Assistant Defense Minister [26:49] with establishing in [26:51] Among those sent to the camp were [26:52] experts in operating drones and missiles [26:54] and that the Houthis had transported [26:56] parts of ballistic missiles and drones [26:57] to the area in separate shipments, [27:00] right? That's what we see. They always [27:01] do it in different components. They ship [27:03] them separately. [27:05] According to the report, the camp's main [27:07] purpose is to give the Houthis an [27:08] alternative [27:10] operational depth on the African side of [27:12] the Gulf of Aden so they can maintain [27:15] pressure on Bab-el-Mandeb and the Gulf [27:17] of Aden in case its military sites on [27:19] Yemen's western coast are attacked. In [27:21] other words, they don't want [27:24] they've been disrupting shipping in [27:26] Bab-el-Mandeb [27:28] from Yemen. [27:30] Right? [27:32] They've been They're located here. [27:34] This is the main Houthi area, the west [27:36] and northwest of Yemen. [27:38] And they've been disrupting [27:39] Bab-el-Mandeb, but now they want to set [27:41] up a base here to do two things: to [27:44] counter the Israeli presence, to [27:45] undermine Somaliland, but also to have [27:49] to have bases on both sides [27:52] of the Bab-el-Mandeb Strait [27:55] to disrupt shipping. [27:57] I mean, this is like and and they're [27:59] they're setting this up now. Think of [28:00] what's happening in Hormuz. Houthis are [28:02] Iran-backed, and they're trying to set [28:04] up shop so they can cause more [28:06] disruptions at a global choke point. [28:12] Sheba Intelligence further noted that it [28:14] had received information that forces of [28:15] the United Arab Emirates [28:17] uh STC had opened their own training [28:20] camp in Somaliland. That's the group [28:22] that was pushed out of Yemen that I told [28:24] you about, that separatist group. And [28:26] that over 150 fighters from Shabwah and [28:28] Hadramaut elite forces had arrived at [28:30] the camp. [28:31] The UK-based intelligence group stressed [28:33] that it was unable to independently [28:35] verify all the details and the [28:36] locations. [28:38] The Somali Memo website linked to [28:39] Al-Qaeda's affiliate in Somalia, [28:42] Al-Shabaab, [28:44] um [28:45] they they published a Somali language [28:47] article based on the Al Ayam report [28:49] noting that Israel and Somaliland [28:51] recently signed security agreements that [28:53] threaten the region according to [28:55] Al-Shabaab. The Somali Memo article [28:57] claimed it has been confirmed that the [28:58] Jewish state has has established a [29:00] military base [29:02] inside Somaliland. [29:07] Okay. [29:08] Now, here we have from Middle East [29:10] Monitor, not a pro-Israel site, Israel [29:12] prepares, this is from June 25th, last [29:14] week, Israel prepares to resume fighting [29:16] on Yemen front, updates plans against [29:19] Houthis. [29:22] Israeli Channel 14 has reported that the [29:24] Israeli military is preparing for the [29:26] possibility of renewed fighting on the [29:28] Yemen front amid what it described as [29:31] the reactivation and updating of [29:33] operational plans targeting the Houthi [29:34] group. Now, there's Israel is updating [29:37] their plans, getting ready to go after [29:39] the Houthis. The channel said that the [29:41] move follows statements by Israel [29:43] Defense Minister Israel Katz, [29:45] who issued direct threats to Houthi [29:47] leadership, asserting that, quote, the [29:49] account with the group remains open and [29:51] that it would pay a heavy price for its [29:53] attacks against Israel and its interests [29:55] in the region. According to the report, [29:57] military plans have been updated in [29:59] preparation for any political decision [30:01] to launch new operations against the [30:03] group in Yemen, meaning we're at the [30:04] ready. As soon as the political arm says [30:06] go, we go. It added that the Israeli [30:08] security establishment is working to [30:10] enhance its military response system to [30:13] address threats originating from the [30:14] south. The report also quoted Katz as [30:17] warning that Houthi leaders could be [30:19] directly targeted, indicating that any [30:21] operational opportunity to assassinate [30:23] senior commanders could be exploited if [30:25] suitable conditions arise. The [30:27] developments come amid ongoing tensions [30:29] in the Red Sea. The Houthis have [30:31] previously announced missile and drone [30:34] attacks targeting Israel and key [30:36] maritime routes and have vowed to [30:38] continue escalating their operations as [30:40] long as they're the aggression on Gaza, [30:42] Iran, and Lebanon continues. [30:46] And uh here we have uh from Milit- [30:49] Militarnyi, which is I think a Ukrainian [30:51] site, "Israel plans to deploy submarines [30:54] in Somaliland." [30:55] Israel is exploring the possibility of [30:57] establishing a naval presence at the [30:59] port of Berbera in Somaliland. The port [31:01] of Berbera is right here. It's right [31:03] here where my where where my pointer is. [31:04] Let me show you on the map. Here's [31:06] Berbera, Berbera port right there, right [31:08] in the in the curve. [31:10] Okay, so and right behind it [31:13] that red thing, that's the that's where [31:15] the Houthi camp is being set up. Ho, ho. [31:18] The plot thickens. [31:21] Israel's is exploring the possibility of [31:23] establishing a naval presence at the [31:24] port of Berbera in Somaliland. New [31:26] relations between the countries could [31:28] allow the Israeli navy to use this [31:31] location to deploy its Dolphin-class [31:33] submarines, according to Defense [31:35] Network. The port of Berbera is located [31:37] across from Yemen. This geographical [31:39] location provides Israel with a [31:41] strategic vantage point for monitoring [31:43] the activities of the Yemeni Houthis and [31:46] Iran in the Gulf of Aden and the [31:48] southern Red Sea. [31:49] At least one Dolphin submarine has [31:51] already been deployed to the Persian [31:52] Gulf to respond to potential escalatory [31:56] actions by Iran. In addition, the [31:58] submarines protect Israeli offshore gas [32:01] platforms in the Mediterranean. [32:04] Submarines of this class are capable of [32:06] launching various types of missiles. [32:08] Among them are the Israeli-developed [32:09] Popeye turbo cruise missiles, which have [32:12] an estimated range of at least 1,500 [32:15] um kilometers. The Somaliland leadership [32:17] has already welcomed Israeli investments [32:20] and granted access to its ports, [32:22] although there was currently no official [32:23] confirmation of the submarines' [32:26] extended extended stay. [32:29] It should be noted that the [32:30] administration of US President Donald [32:31] Trump is considering recognizing [32:33] Somaliland in exchange for permission to [32:36] establish a naval base. Let's read more [32:38] about that. US considering and this is [32:41] from March, from a few months ago. This [32:43] kind of went under the radar. US [32:45] considering recognition of Somaliland in [32:48] exchange for military base. Interesting. [32:51] The administration of US President [32:52] Donald Trump is reportedly considering [32:54] the partial recognition of Somaliland in [32:57] exchange for permission to establish a [32:58] naval base. Now, why in March [33:02] about two and a half weeks after [33:03] launching the war against Iran did Trump [33:05] say, "Hey, you know, maybe we need a [33:06] naval base in Somaliland." [33:08] Um, maybe it's because of you the you [33:11] saw what happened with the Hormuz [33:13] Straits and you realized that you can't [33:15] have the Houthis blocking off Bab [33:16] al-Mandab. An American official told the [33:18] Financial Times about the new [33:21] administration's first contacts with the [33:23] leadership of Somaliland shared that [33:25] discussions have begun on a possible [33:27] agreement [33:32] Actually, you know what? I'm sorry. I [33:33] made a mistake. This is not from this [33:35] past March. [33:36] This is from a year ago. [33:38] This is from March 2025. So, my mistake. [33:40] Correct that. It's not connected to the [33:42] Iran war. But it it could be connected [33:44] to looking ahead at at at choke points. [33:47] Well, that's clearly what it's about. [33:48] They shared that discussions have begun [33:50] on possible agreement to recognize the [33:51] de facto state in exchange for creating [33:54] a military base near the port of Berbera [33:57] on the Red Sea coast. Yeah. [34:00] And that's the the that's the port I [34:02] showed you. According to the official, [34:03] the Trump administration's African team [34:05] is still in the early stages of [34:07] formation and these very preliminary [34:09] initial contacts are ongoing. The [34:11] official also mentioned that the [34:12] administration has raised the [34:13] possibility of resettling refugees from [34:15] both the United States and Gaza. [34:17] However, this issue was secondary to [34:19] broader military discussions. Okay, [34:21] we're going to leave that as that that [34:22] is not relevant to our topic right now. [34:26] But if you put all this together, [34:29] right? You put all this together [34:31] um [34:34] and you think about the fact that the [34:35] Turks [34:37] you know, the Turks uh [34:40] they're pro-Somalia. They have troops in [34:42] Somalia. [34:43] And they [34:45] they uh [34:47] they are not fans of independent [34:49] pro-Western, pro-Israel Somaliland. [34:52] And the Turks, of course, we know [34:54] Erdogan's relationship to Trump. It [34:55] seems that the Trump administration has [34:57] shelved those plans to recognize [34:58] Somaliland, but [35:00] if the Israelis have a base there, that [35:02] kind of serves the US interest. You see, [35:04] that's what alliances are all about. [35:05] Does the US need a base in in Barbara if [35:08] Israel uh meaning in the in the port [35:10] here if Israel has one? If Israel has [35:12] submarines that are policing the Gulf of [35:15] Aden, if Israel has a military presence [35:17] in Somaliland that's dealing with the [35:19] Houthis, does America need to be here? [35:20] So, that's an interesting that's an [35:22] interesting aspect of this. [35:24] But, my point in this video, and we'll [35:25] wrap it up now, [35:27] is just to update you on what's going on [35:29] here, that the Houthis uh are trying to [35:32] get entrenched in Somaliland. They're [35:34] They clearly have their eye on the [35:36] disruptions here in in the Bab al-Mandab [35:38] Strait to make that an ongoing issue. [35:41] The unity of the Yebit of the Yemeni [35:43] militias that the Saudis are trying to [35:45] hold together is designed to deal with [35:48] the Houthis. [35:50] And then you'll have the Israelis here [35:51] as well. This is a developing situation. [35:53] It's going to be very interesting. And [35:55] let me say something about drones. You [35:56] see, everything is now about drone [35:58] components and drones, drones, drones. [36:00] And you see what's going on in Lebanon, [36:02] where Hezbollah was killing Israeli [36:03] soldiers with these very cheap drones, a [36:05] couple hundred bucks each. This is [36:08] compared to the price of real rockets [36:10] and missiles and and real munitions, [36:12] these drones are super, super cheap. [36:15] They're easy to operate. They're easy to [36:16] get a hold of. [36:18] And we're we're heading into the era of [36:22] drone terrorism, where every little [36:24] militia all across Africa and the Middle [36:26] East [36:27] is going to be doing stuff with drones. [36:30] Um and we just need to be ready for that [36:32] and and you know, expect more and more [36:36] um [36:37] more and more of of this drone warfare [36:39] dominating [36:41] uh the especially in the in the [36:42] terrorist space. [36:45] Okay, but we see what's going on in [36:46] Yemen. We're updated. That was the point [36:48] of the video. Um [36:50] Look, with if the Iranian regime falls [36:54] a lot of these prob- everything here [36:56] shifts. Because then the Houthis' main [36:58] financial backer, just like Hezbollah, [37:00] just like Hamas their main financial [37:02] backer goes away. [37:04] Um [37:05] but [37:07] you know, that's the situation on the [37:08] ground. I hope this was helpful. Hope it [37:10] made some sense. Please drop a comment. [37:13] Let me know what you thought of all [37:14] this. [37:15] And uh [37:16] yeah, I will see you [37:19] I'll see you on the next one. [37:20] All right, God bless you all.
