An article in Middle East Eye based on satellite images points to a network of military bases developing around the Bab al-Mandab strait, attributed to an initiative by the United Arab Emirates and, in some reports, also to Israeli cooperation.
The bases are spread across strategic areas in the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden, including the Socotra Islands.
The published images show new runways, military infrastructure, and radar and intelligence systems, evidence of an attempt to ensure control and monitoring of vital shipping routes.
According to estimates, this move strengthens the Emirati strategy to expand maritime influence, with regional intelligence cooperation extending towards Israel, which raises sensitivities both with Somalia and in the Yemeni arena.