
US President Donald Trump has revealed that he authorized precision military airstrikes in Somalia targeting a senior ISIS attack planner and other affiliated terrorists.
The operation, carried out earlier today, reportedly resulted in the deaths of “many” ISIS militants who were hiding in caves, according to Trump.
“The strikes destroyed the caves they lived in and killed many terrorists without harming civilians,” Trump stated. He emphasized that the targeted individuals posed a direct threat to the United States and its allies. However, Trump did not disclose the identities of those targeted or confirm whether the senior ISIS planner was among those killed. He also provided no specific details about the location of the operation.
US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth confirmed that the airstrikes were conducted by US Africa Command under Trump’s directive and in coordination with the Somali government. A preliminary assessment from the Pentagon indicated that “multiple” ISIS operatives were killed, with no civilian casualties reported.
Hegseth highlighted that the operation significantly degraded ISIS’s ability to “plot and conduct terrorist attacks” that threaten the US, its partners, and innocent civilians. “This sends a clear signal that the United States remains committed to finding and eliminating terrorists who threaten our nation and allies, even as we continue robust border protection and other critical operations under President Trump’s leadership,” he said in a statement.
The office of Somali President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud praised the operation, stating that it “reinforces the strong security partnership” between Somalia and the US in combating extremist threats. In a post on X, the Somali government reiterated its commitment to working with international allies to eliminate terrorism and ensure regional stability.
Trump also took the opportunity to criticize his predecessor, Joe Biden, claiming that the US military had been tracking the ISIS attack planner for years but that Biden “and his cronies wouldn’t act quickly enough to get the job done.” Trump asserted, “I did! The message to ISIS and all others who would attack Americans is that ‘WE WILL FIND YOU, AND WE WILL KILL YOU!'”
It is worth noting that the US has conducted periodic airstrikes in Somalia for years under both Republican and Democratic administrations, including during Biden’s presidency. These operations are part of ongoing efforts to combat terrorist groups like ISIS and Al-Shabaab in the region.
The latest strikes underscore the continued US involvement in counterterrorism efforts in Somalia, as well as the complex dynamics of international security partnerships in the fight against extremism.