US Navy Launches Largest-Ever Carrier Airstrike in Somalia

The US Navy's USS Harry S. Truman and its strike group executed the largest airstrike ever launched from a single aircraft carrier, dropping 125,000 pounds of munitions in Somalia earlier this year, targeting ISIS-Somalia leadership in cave complexes. The strike, involving 16 F/A-18 Super Hornets, was part of a broader campaign in which US Africa Command has conducted 25 airstrikes against ISIS and al-Shabaab in Somalia since January, aiming to degrade the growing ISIS presence and its threat to US interests. During its deployment, the Truman strike group also played a crucial role in countering Iran-backed Houthi militants in Yemen, conducting 670 strikes and intercepting roughly 160 drones and missiles aimed at Israel, US Navy vessels, and key shipping lanes. The operations highlight the US military's emphasis on precision-guided munitions and advanced missile systems to counter persistent regional threats. The strike group, after leaving the Red Sea, participated in NATO exercises in the Mediterranean before returning to its homeport in Norfolk, Virginia. This demonstration of force reflects ongoing US efforts to maintain security in East Africa and the Middle East against non-state militant groups and hostile actors.