US Air Strikes in Somalia Surpass Pre — Trump Records, Raises Concerns. Mogadishu, Somalia — Lead Paragraph: The United States has dramatically increased its air campaign in Somalia, conducting 111 strikes against armed groups since President Donald Trump’s return to office, according to the New America Foundation.
The surge in military operations, which began in February, has already surpassed the combined total of strikes carried out under former Presidents George W.
Bush, Barack Obama, and Joe Biden. This escalation targets both al-Shabaab and ISIL in Somalia, and it follows a directive by Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth that reversed restrictions on strikes outside warzones.
The latest strike took place on December 14, when the US Africa Command conducted an air raid northeast of Kismayo, targeting suspected members of al-Shabaab.
The escalation marks a significant shift in the US approach to counter — terrorism in Somalia, which saw the “largest air strike in the history of the world “launched from an aircraft carrier in June. This strike involved 16 F/A-18 Super Hornets and resulted in the deaths of 14 people, according to the Africa Command.
The intensified campaign targets both al — Shabaab, an al-Qaeda affiliate responsible for the deadliest conflict in Africa last year, and ISIL-Somalia, a smaller group based in the northeast.
The United States has been a key ally of Somalia’s federal government, providing training and support for local forces. David Sterman, a senior policy analyst at the New America Foundation, told Al Jazeera that the escalation appears to be a response to a “demand signal from the White House “and a “willingness to allow more clearly offensive uses of strikes with less scrutiny and regulation.”
The strikes have shifted from occasional efforts to target senior figures to sustained operations against group members in remote mountain caves in northern Somalia.
They have also supported the Somali National Army against al — Shabaab in southern regions, where the army has faced setbacks this year.
However, the increased strikes have raised concerns about civilian casualties.
In a report published in December, Drop Site News reported that at least 11 civilians, including seven children, were killed during an operation in the Lower Jubba region in November.
The Africa Command confirmed conducting strikes but did not respond to requests for comment on the civilian deaths.
The US military recently stopped providing civilian casualty assessments in its strike announcements, according to Stars and Stripes.
The surge in air strikes in Somalia under President Trump’s administration continues to raise questions about the impact on the civilian population and the strategy’s long-term effectiveness.
Further details are expected as the situation develops.
