Trump Announces Airstrikes Against Islamic State Operatives in Somalia

In a bold social media announcement, Donald Trump declared that he had ordered military airstrikes on a senior Islamic State (IS) attack planner and several affiliates hiding in caves in Somalia. "These killers, who we found hiding in caves, threatened the United States and our Allies," Trump stated. He asserted that the strikes effectively destroyed the locations of these terrorists and resulted in the deaths of multiple operatives without harming any civilians.

Trump did not provide specific names of those targeted but reinforced a strong message to IS, saying, "WE WILL FIND YOU, AND WE WILL KILL YOU!" Following his statement, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth offered an initial assessment indicating successful operations with no reported civilian casualties. He noted that these airstrikes "further degrade" IS's capability to plan and execute terrorist attacks and emphasize that the United States remains vigilant in the fight against terrorism.

Islamic State’s influence surged in the 2010s, primarily in Iraq and Syria, but its operations have dwindled to parts of Africa, notably Somalia. The Somali IS branch, formed in 2015 by defectors from al-Qaeda affiliated al-Shabab, is infamous for extorting local populations and conducting sporadic attacks, as reported by the U.S. Office of the Director of National Intelligence. This latest airstrike represents a determined effort by U.S. forces to disrupt their activities and ensure the safety of both American citizens and international allies.