US President Donald Trump on Saturday said that he authorized precision airstrikes by Somalia against several Islamic State group fighters, which include a high-ranking attack coordinator, in its northeastern Golis Mountains. According to reports, it is the first overseas military operation since the start of Donald Trump’s re-assumption as US president.
In a statement on X, Trump said that the operation had targeted ISIS operatives who were a major threat to the United States and its allies. “These terrorists, who were hiding in caves, have been a threat to our nation. The strikes destroyed their hiding places and eliminated several terrorists without harming any civilians,” Trump said.
Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth confirmed the killing of multiple ISIS operatives as well. Preliminary assessments said no civilians had been killed and that the attack was considered successful in its objective to weaken ISIS’s capacity for planning and launching attacks.
“The United States is committed to eliminating terrorist threats wherever they arise,” Hegseth said. “This operation sends a powerful message that we will not hesitate to act when our interests are at risk.”
Trump, seizing the opportunity, later went on to blame his predecessor, Joe Biden, saying that the Biden administration had delayed action against the ISIS members targeted in Saturday’s strikes. “We’ve been targeting this ISIS planner for years, but Biden and his team didn’t act quickly enough. I did!” Trump said, stressing his resolve on terrorism.
This airstrike marks a critical step in the foreign policy of Trump, as he continues to present himself as a protector of US interests abroad.
