Experts said Israel hopes to use Somaliland as a base for strikes on Yemen and a destination to deport Palestinians to.

Africa's regional governance bodies on Saturday rejected Israel's recognition of Somalia's breakaway region of Somaliland as an independent nation, a day earlier.

In response to the agreement, Somalia’s government on Friday criticized what it called an “unlawful step” by Israel and said Somaliland was “an integral, inseparable, and inalienable part” of Somalia.