Trump Orders Airstrikes on Islamic State Targets

Former U.S. President Donald Trump authorizes airstrikes on Islamic State targets, intensifying efforts to combat terrorism in the region.

On Saturday, President Donald Trump announced that the U.S. military conducted airstrikes against Islamic State (ISIS) targets in Somalia.

“This morning, I directed precise military airstrikes targeting the Senior ISIS Attack Planner as well as other terrorists he recruited and led in Somalia,” Trump posted on Truth Social.

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth confirmed that the airstrikes targeted IS-Somalia militants in Puntland’s Golis mountains, a semi-autonomous region of the country.

“Our preliminary evaluation suggests that the airstrikes resulted in the deaths of several operatives, with no civilian casualties,” Hegseth reported.

Local commanders confirmed the strikes to AFP.

“The number of casualties is not yet known, but we believe the missiles accurately hit their targets,” said Mohamed Ali, a military commander in the Bossaso region, during a phone interview with AFP.

Ali added, “We believe there are casualties among the terrorist leaders, including foreigners whom the Puntland forces had been pursuing in recent days.”

Abdirahman Adan, another army member from a neighboring area, recounted hearing “five loud explosions” followed by smoke rising over the affected site.

Puntland has not yet issued an official statement regarding the airstrikes.

Hegseth noted that the strikes further reduce ISIS’s ability to “plan and execute terrorist attacks endangering U.S. citizens, our partners, and innocent civilians.” He emphasized that this action communicates a strong message: the United States is consistently ready to pursue and eliminate any terrorists who threaten both the nation and its allies.

Despite having a comparatively smaller presence in Somalia than the Al-Qaeda-aligned Al-Shabaab, ISIS’s growing activity has raised concerns among experts.

In his post, Trump stated that the message to ISIS and anyone who would harm Americans is: “We will find you, and we will kill you.”