Israel operating spy bases in Eritrea

Israel is operating an intelligence gathering base in the East African nation of Eritrea to monitor Iran's activities in the Red Sea, the Stratfor Global Intelligence company revealed Tuesday.

The company says it uses a unique, intelligence-based approach to gathering information via open-source monitoring and a global network of human contacts.

According to Stratfor, Israel has a clandestine presence in and around Massawa

In its report on Tuesday, Stratfor wrote: "The tiny country of Eritrea has been accommodating two Middle Eastern rivals in order to face its geopolitical challenges — mainly its fear of invasion by Ethiopia. Iran wants to expand its presence in Eritrea and other East African nations in order to gain influence along the Red Sea, an important route for seaborne international trade. Israel, meanwhile, wants to monitor Iranian activities in the region. By allowing foreign security operations in its territory, Eritrea has become another venue for Israel and Iran's ongoing rivalry."

In exchange for resources, possibly including modest amounts of cash and weapons, Eritrea has exhibited a willingness to become a base of support for Middle Eastern powers that want to exert greater influence in the Horn of Africa. As a result, Eritrea and its waters in the Gulf of Aden have become another venue for Iran and Israel's rivalry. Israel and Iran's engagement with Eritrea is an extension of their rivalry over the Red Sea, which allegedly led to the bombing of the Yarmouk weapons factory in Sudan, Stratfor reported.

Iran's operations in Eritrea are relevant to Tehran's larger goal of controlling the Bab el Mandeb strait and the water route to the Suez Canal. Thus, Iran's presence in Eritrea could be more significant in terms of intelligence gathering than tactical defense, Stratfor says.

Israel also operates inside Eritrea. According to Stratfor diplomatic and media sources, Israel has small naval teams in the Dahlak Archipelago and Massawa and a listening post in Amba Soira. Israel's presence in Eritrea is very focused and precise, involving intelligence gathering in the Red Sea and monitoring Iran's activities. Various Stratfor diplomatic sources have said that Israel's presence in Eritrea is small but significant.

Eritrea wants Israel's friendship for numerous security and political reasons. Eritrea wants to use Israel to influence the United States — an ally of both Israel and Ethiopia — in decisions regarding Eritrea on the international stage. The country also wants to acquire better air defense capabilities to defend against a possible attack from Ethiopia. Moreover, cooperating with Israel is a way for Eritrea to balance its controversial relationship with Tehran, Stratfor reports.

"Israel has good relations with both Eritrea and Ethiopia and is less interested in expanding its presence in Eritrea than Iran. Israel would not want to harm its relations with Ethiopia and other regional countries, as it has a wider interest in East Africa — mainly containing Sudan's Islamist government, which allegedly supports Hamas and other anti-Israeli elements in the Middle East. As Israel has expanded its security cooperation with South Sudan and Kenya in recent years, Eritrea has responded by strengthening its ties with Iran," the report said.

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