The United States wants to expand its military base in the port city of Bosaso under an agreement with the Puntland administration. The move could give Washington a position close to Islamic State’s mountain strongholds in northern Somalia, the Gulf of Aden and the strategic Bab el-Mandeb Strait. Puntland said the United States would expand the base to improve counterterrorism operations and help protect maritime security. Few details have emerged, including the planned scale of the expansion and how many US personnel might eventually operate from the facility. Washington’s interest in Bosaso is partly explained by restrictions Djibouti has placed on the use of Camp Lemonnier, the largest permanent US military base in Africa. Djibouti has denied permission for attacks against the Houthis to be launched from its territory, citing concerns about retaliation and deeper involvement in the conflict. An expanded Bosaso facility could give US Africa Command greater operational flexibility in relation to Somalia, Yemen and the Gulf of Aden. The Bosaso base has already developed into a substantial military and logistics hub. The UAE supported the Puntland Maritime Police Force in combating piracy, while personnel from the US private military contractor Xe, formerly known as Blackwater, took part in its early training. A Middle East Eye investigation identified a radar facility, fortified ammunition depots, a field hospital, vehicle storage, aircraft hangars and a cargo area capable of handling IL-76 heavy transport aircraft. Middle East Eye has also reported that weapons, equipment and other military logistics passing through the facility from the UAE were destined for Sudan’s paramilitary Rapid Support Forces. The RSF has fought the Sudanese army since April 2023 and has faced accusations of war crimes and atrocities. The UAE has repeatedly denied supplying weapons to the group. Bosaso also places US forces closer to Islamic State territory. Puntland launched a major offensive against the group in late 2024, capturing bases and territory while US aircraft provided air support. American air operations have risen sharply since Donald Trump returned to office; New America’s conflict tracking recorded 219 US strikes in Somalia during his first term. The agreement raises political and legal questions because defence and foreign affairs fall under Somalia’s federal government. Puntland has been engaged in a prolonged dispute with President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud’s administration and withdrew recognition of federal institutions after constitutional changes adopted in 2024. A direct arrangement with Puntland therefore sits uneasily with Washington’s formal support for Somalia’s sovereignty and territorial integrity. Bosaso’s coastline now matters simultaneously to the campaign against Islamic State, maritime security and the confrontation around the Red Sea. That overlap could further complicate relations between Mogadishu and Puntland as decisions about a foreign military presence become entangled with their political dispute.