President Trump ordered precision military airstrikes on ISIS targets in Somalia yesterday, February 1, 2025[1][2].
The operation targeted a “Senior ISIS Attack Planner” and other terrorists in the Golis Mountains, a remote mountainous region in northern Somalia[2][5].
The airstrikes, carried out by U.S. Africa Command in coordination with the Somali government, reportedly destroyed caves used as hideouts by the terrorists[1][3]. According to initial Pentagon assessments, multiple ISIS operatives were killed in the operation, with no civilian casualties reported[5].
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth stated that the strikes “further degrade ISIS’s ability to plot and conduct terrorist attacks threatening US citizens, our partners, and innocent civilians”[2]. The operation involved Navy and Air Force aircraft, including F/A-18 fighter jets launched from the aircraft carrier Harry S. Truman in the Red Sea[7].
President Trump announced the airstrikes on Truth Social, declaring that the operation successfully eliminated numerous terrorists without harming civilians[1]. He also criticized the previous administration for not acting swiftly enough against this particular ISIS operative[5].
While the exact number of casualties and the identity of the senior ISIS planner remain undisclosed, the strikes are seen as a significant action in the ongoing fight against terrorism in the region[5][7]. The Somali government has expressed support for the operation, emphasizing the strong security partnership between Somalia and the United States[6].
Citations:
[1] https://www.npr.org/2025/02/01/g-s1-45994/trump-hegseth-isis-somalia-airstrikes
[2] https://www.voanews.com/a/us-strikes-stronghold-of-islamic-state-affiliate-in-somalia/7959636.html
[3] https://www.dw.com/en/trump-orders-strikes-on-is-targets-in-somalia/a-71482679
[4] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R_ZeAjvM22o
[5] https://apnews.com/article/somalia-islamic-state-trump-airstrikes-hegseth-africa-56c8ef314fd74812140153e7e3e4d809
[6] https://hayspost.com/posts/3c0a134c-c3b2-4769-8c31-4abc0d85c77c
[7] https://www.nytimes.com/2025/02/01/us/politics/trump-airstrikes-isis-somalia.html
[8] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OBzLfgmImnM
[9] https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cdrye506z1go
[10] https://www.africom.mil/pressrelease/35701/us-forces-conduct-strike-targeting-isis-somalia
[11] https://www.cbsnews.com/news/trump-air-strikes-isis-leaders-in-somalia/