Ethiopia says Eritrean forces advanced up to 60km into Tigray, telling the UN it has “no option” but to defend itself

Ethiopian Foreign Minister Gedion Timothewos has told the United Nations and Security Council that an Eritrean invasion leaves Ethiopia with “no option but to defend itself.” In the letter, he described the incursion as an all-out invasion.

Ethiopian officials say Eritrean troops have advanced up to 60 kilometers into northern Tigray, an act they described as aggression engaging Ethiopia’s inherent right to self-defense. The allegations come amid reports of explosions and drone strikes near the border and around Tigray. Relations between Ethiopia and Eritrea have deteriorated after the post-2018 peace agreement and the Tigray civil war, raising concerns about renewed conflict and instability in the Horn of Africa.