U.S. Airstrikes in Somalia Surge Amid Rising Terror Concerns

The United States has sharply increased its military operations in the Horn of Africa, launching at least 32 airstrikes in Somalia so far this year — more than double the number from 2024, according to U.S. Africa Command (AFRICOM). The escalation reflects Washington’s growing concern over the persistent threat posed by extremist groups in the region.

Why it matters:
Despite the intensity of operations, the U.S. campaign in Somalia remains largely overlooked in American political discourse and media. Yet it represents a significant and expanding front in the global fight against terror networks.

By the numbers:
Between February 1 and June 4, U.S. forces, in coordination with Somali government partners, carried out 20 strikes against ISIS-Somalia and 12 strikes against al-Shabaab.

• The pace of attacks accelerated in April and May, with 19 strikes conducted over those two months — nearly twice as many as in February and March.
• In June alone, AFRICOM has reported three new strikes, all targeting ISIS-Somalia elements.
• Strike locations have primarily included areas southeast of Bosaso and regions northwest of Kismayo, both known hubs for militant activity.

A major operation revealed:
At a Council on Foreign Relations event in May, Admiral James Kilby, Acting Chief of Naval Operations, disclosed that the USS Harry S. Truman carrier group delivered the largest single carrier-launched airstrike in history, dropping 125,000 pounds of munitions on Somali targets.

The surge in strikes follows a policy shift under the Trump administration, which relaxed restrictions on U.S. military actions abroad earlier this year.

Casualties:
Details remain sparse, but a strike in early February reportedly eliminated 14 ISIS operatives, including a senior recruiter and financier.

Official stance:
Speaking before Congress this week, AFRICOM commander Gen. Michael Langley described Africa as a strategic theater that the U.S. cannot afford to ignore:

“Africa remains a launchpad for extremist groups that exploit instability to spread their ideology globally,” he warned.
“Somalia is now the operational center of ISIS’s global network.”

Background:
U.S. involvement in Somalia spans decades, with the most infamous episode being the 1993 Battle of Mogadishu, dramatized in Black Hawk Down. Today’s campaign is far more technologically advanced, but the risks and regional complexities remain.

Big picture:
Although U.S. strikes are currently focused on Somalia, the broader extremist threat stretches across Africa. The Sahel region, in particular, is grappling with deepening unrest fueled by terrorism, coups, and climate stress.

• Following a military coup in Niger, U.S. forces withdrew last year. France, too, has significantly scaled down its presence across West Africa.
• Meanwhile, Russia has expanded its reach through Wagner Group paramilitaries, seeking influence across both West and Central Africa. Moscow recently reaffirmed its desire to intensify defense cooperation with African nations.

Bottom line:
“The fight in Africa is the least understood and least reported,” said Alex Plitsas, a counterterrorism expert at the Atlantic Council.

“U.S. withdrawals have left behind a massive ungoverned space — a safe haven for terrorist groups nearly the size of half the continental United States. If we don’t confront it, the threat will inevitably spread beyond the region.”