
The United States military has carried out air strikes on Islamic State (IS) targets in Somalia, President Donald Trump confirmed on Saturday.
Trump announced the strikes via Truth Social, saying, “This morning I ordered precision Military air strikes on the Senior ISIS Attack Planner and other terrorists he recruited and led in Somalia.”
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth revealed that the airstrikes targeted IS-Somalia operatives in the Golis mountains, located in the semi-autonomous Puntland region.
“Our initial assessment is that multiple operatives were killed in the airstrikes and no civilians were harmed,” Hegseth said in a statement.
The Pentagon emphasized that the action aims to disrupt ISIS’s ability to conduct terrorist activities. “This action further degrades ISIS’s ability to plot and conduct terrorist attacks threatening US citizens, our partners, and innocent civilians,” Hegseth added.
Islamic State maintains a relatively small presence in Somalia, dwarfed by Al-Shabaab, a group linked to Al-Qaeda. However, experts have expressed concern over the rising influence of IS in the region.
Trump issued a stern warning in his post: “The message to ISIS and all others who would attack Americans is that ‘WE WILL FIND YOU, AND WE WILL KILL YOU!'”
The strike underscores the United States’ commitment to combating terrorism worldwide and protecting its citizens and allies.