What to know about a power struggle among U.S. allies in the Red Sea

By Aya Batrawy,

Mary Louise Kelly

Published December 30, 2025 at 4:59 PM EST

Israel became the first country in the world to recognize Somaliland, part of a wider Red Sea rivalry also playing out in Yemen

Aya Batrawy

Aya Batraway is an NPR International Correspondent based in Dubai. She joined in 2022 from the Associated Press, where she was an editor and reporter for over 11 years.

Mary Louise Kelly

Mary Louise Kelly is a co-host of All Things Considered, NPR's award-winning afternoon newsmagazine.

See stories by Mary Louise Kelly

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