Eritrea Severs Diplomatic Ties with Ethiopia as Regional War Fears Grow

By Staff, Agencies

Eritrea has severed diplomatic relations with Ethiopia in a sharp escalation between the two neighboring countries, raising concerns that their growing confrontation could trigger another war and further destabilize the Red Sea region.

Ethiopia announced Thursday that it was expelling 10 Eritrean diplomats and closing its embassy in Asmara, accusing Eritrea of engaging in what it called “direct and indirect acts of hostility and belligerence.”

The announcement followed explosions heard overnight in Ethiopia’s capital, Addis Ababa. Western and regional officials told Middle East Eye that the blasts were caused by a drone strike, while AFP reported that an explosion struck the Ethiopian National Defense Force headquarters in the Tor Hayloch area. Reuters, citing a source linked to an opposition alliance, reported that several drone strikes had targeted locations in the capital, including military facilities.

Eritrea responded by announcing that it was cutting diplomatic ties with Ethiopia and accusing Addis Ababa of pursuing “an agenda of incessant hostility.” Eritrea’s Foreign Ministry also alleged that Ethiopia was hosting, training and arming groups it described as Eritrean armed opposition factions in an effort to destabilize the country and pursue regime change.

Relations between the two countries have deteriorated sharply in recent months. Ethiopia and Eritrea were briefly allies during Ethiopia’s 2020–2022 war against the Tigray People’s Liberation Front [TPLF], but subsequently returned to confrontation.

Ethiopia has sought greater access to the Red Sea and has asserted claims concerning Eritrea’s coastline, while accusing Asmara of supporting armed groups, allegations Eritrea denies.

Eritrean Foreign Minister Osman Saleh recently accused Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed of pursuing a “two-waters strategy,” comparing it to what he described as “Israeli” expansionist ambitions.

The latest diplomatic rupture comes as fighting involving Ethiopia’s federal government and the TPLF continues, creating concerns that tensions with Eritrea could expand the conflict toward the Red Sea.

The wider region is already facing multiple armed conflicts, including fighting in Yemen and Sudan. Regional powers such as Egypt, Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Turkey and Somalia could potentially become more deeply involved as alliances and rivalries overlap.

The TPLF is aligned with Sudan’s military, while Eritrea has maintained close ties with Egypt and Saudi Arabia in support of the Sudanese Armed Forces. Meanwhile, the UAE has emerged as a major supporter of Ethiopia and has supplied Ethiopian forces with drones and other military equipment.

Eritrean officials have also accused the UAE of cooperating with “Israel” against Asmara, while “Israel” and Ethiopia maintain longstanding political and security ties.

During Ethiopia’s conflict with Eritrean forces in previous decades, the “Israeli” entity supplied weapons to Ethiopia’s Marxist Derg government, which used them against Eritrean fighters.

With relations between Addis Ababa and Asmara now at their lowest point in years, the diplomatic breakdown adds another layer of instability to an already volatile Red Sea region.