U.S. Launches Airstrikes Against ISIS Targets in Somalia

What Happened?

U.S. military forces carried out airstrikes against ISIS affiliated targets in Somalia, marking the first such attacks conducted by the new Trump Administration.

President Trump posted on X ‘This morning I ordered precision military air strikes on the senior ISIS planner and other terrorists he recruited and led in Somalia.’

Newly confirmed Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth added ‘the strikes targeted ISIS-Somalia operations in the Golis Mountain.’ Neither President Trump nor Secretary of Defense Hegseth provided any specific names of ISIS leaders being targeted in Somalia.

U.S. Africa Command simply stated that airstrikes had been conducted in conjunction with the government of Somalia without providing any further details.

Why it Matters

Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth issued a statement after the attacks saying, ‘Our initial assessment is that multiple operatives were killed in the airstrikes and no civilians were harmed.’ 

ISIS Somalia was founded in 2015 by a group of former Al Qaeda operatives who defected from that group and pledged allegiance to ISIS, which stands for the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria. 

The Somalia ISIS affiliate is involved in a number of criminal and terrorist activities throughout the country. In many places it operates with near impunity thanks to a weak government and under resourced security forces. 

Like many terrorist groups, ISIS Somalia uses criminal activities such as extortion, robbery, and kidnapping to finance their terrorist operations.

Somalia itself can nearly be described as a failed state thanks to a combination of factors. Natural disasters, economic dysfunction, weak and corrupt political institutions, and the fallout from a brutal years long civil war have all combined to render Somalia an impoverished, dangerous place. 

Such conditions are what helps terrorist groups like ISIS Somalia thrive. They recruit disaffected youth who see no future job prospects or livelihoods. With government security forces either weak, corrupt, or in cahoots with criminal and terrorist organizations, Somalia is an ideal place for extremist organizations like ISIS Somalia to thrive.

The U.S. military has periodically carried out military operations in Somalia for the past two decades. Though the effectiveness of those efforts appears to have been limited. 

That’s in part because the operations are limited themselves, enabling terrorist groups time to regroup after airstrikes inflict damage. Somalia is nearly as large as Texas geographically, providing a lot of room for terrorist groups to hide and operate. 

Many regions have poor roads or limited infrastructure, making it difficult for government security forces to operate or to conduct counter terrorist operations.

How it Affects You

Though the Trump Administration has not shared details on this latest series of attacks as in how many aircraft were used or where they came from, the strikes are likely a message the new President wants to send. 

President Trump said as much on X when he posted ‘The message to ISIS and all others who would attack Americans is that “we will find you and we will kill you.”’