Abiy in an attempt to appease his citizens (mainly amhara) tried to pass this off to distract them. Ethopia nor somaliland have neither the money nor expertise to maintain a naval fleet let alone marines (an expeditionary unit

). Ethiopia is also a member of brics. The BRICS push to the Middle East is why the Israel false flag genocide was given the go ahead, so they may maintain control of that vital region.
The bab el mandeb strait is an important chokehold for america (why they created piracy and started their naval occupation there). They started the Sudan civil war because Russia built a base there a more than likely will bomb Houthis into the ground. Ethiopia, a third brics nation there wonโt end well for them as theyโve already defaulted and are about to have the imf noose tightened around them