US Africa Command Conducts 21 Airstrikes Against ISIS-Somalia in 2025

The United States has significantly escalated its airstrike campaign against ISIS-Somalia and al-Shabaab in 2025, conducting over 30 airstrikes within the first five months, doubling the number from 2024. These operations, coordinated with the Federal Government of Somalia, target militant strongholds primarily near the strategic port city of Bosaso in Puntland, aiming to disrupt ISIS-Somalia's ability to conduct attacks against U.S. forces and international interests. Despite U.S. military claims of no civilian casualties in recent strikes, independent monitoring groups report that up to 174 people, including potential non-combatants, have been killed in 34 airstrikes this year, raising concerns about transparency and accountability. The U.S. military emphasizes its moral imperative to minimize civilian harm while supporting Somali forces in joint operations, as highlighted by a major airstrike by the USS Harry S. Truman Carrier Strike Group earlier this year. Regional Somali authorities reported the seizure of militant hideouts and the killing of at least 15 ISIS militants in joint air and ground operations following recent U.S. strikes. Overall, the intensified U.S. air campaign reflects a strategic effort to degrade extremist networks in the Horn of Africa amid ongoing regional instability.