US Airstrikes Target Senior Islamic State Operative in Somalia

The United States carried out airstrikes in Somalia on Saturday, targeting a senior Islamic State attack planner and other members of the group, US officials said.

President Donald Trump said the strikes were aimed at militants hiding in caves who posed a threat to the US and its allies.

“These killers, who we found in caves, threatened the United States and our allies,” Trump said on Truth Social. “The strikes destroyed their hideouts and eliminated many terrorists without harming civilians.”

The airstrikes hit the Golis Mountains, US Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth said, adding that an initial assessment suggested multiple Islamic State operatives had been killed. He said there were no reports of civilian casualties.

A Somali presidential aide, speaking on condition of anonymity to an international press, confirmed the strikes and said Somalia’s government supported the operation.

“Somalia cannot be a safe haven for terrorists,” the official said, adding that authorities were assessing the impact.

Hegseth said the strikes weakened Islamic State’s ability to plan and conduct attacks against the US, its allies, and civilians.

“This sends a clear message that the United States remains committed to eliminating threats wherever they emerge,” he said.

The US has conducted periodic airstrikes in Somalia for years under both Republican and Democratic administrations.

Last year, a US strike coordinated with Somali forces killed three Islamic State militants, according to the US military.