The official seal of U.S. Africa Command. AFRICOM conducted a series of airstrikes against al-Shabab militants in southern Somalia, ending a monthlong lull in attacks and bringing the command’s total strike count to a record 68 for the year. (U.S. Africa Command)
A new series of American airstrikes in Somalia ended a brief lull in recent attacks against Islamic militants battling the country’s federal government, U.S. officials said.
The U.S. military carried out airstrikes against al-Shabab on five different days last week in coordination with Somalia’s government, according to statements from U.S. Africa Command.
The strikes occurred in southern Somalia, mostly in the vicinity of Kismayo, a region where the al-Qaida affiliate has been active for many years.
The flurry of attacks comes after a monthlong stretch of no reported airstrikes in Somalia, where AFRICOM’s campaign has been on a record-breaking pace in 2026.
The lull wasn’t related to an operational pause, AFRICOM said in a statement last week.
“Our strike engagements are data driven and results oriented,” the command told Stars and Stripes on Tuesday. “We focus on maximizing every opportunity we have in our counterterrorism efforts.”
In general, airstrikes are meant to enable Somali forces in their own ongoing military operations, AFRICOM said.
“Somalia continued its efforts against terrorist elements in their country and were able to eliminate senior (al-Shabab) leadership,” the statement said.
AFRICOM has launched 68 strikes in Somalia this year, targeting both al-Shabab and Islamic State militants in the country, U.S. officials said.
In 2025, AFRICOM conducted roughly 125 airstrikes against militants in Somalia, which was well above the command’s previous all-time high of 63 in 2019.
Last year’s surge in strikes coincided with a directive by U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth that granted more decision-making authority to AFRICOM commanders on when to launch strikes.
Besides airstrikes, U.S. forces provide training and advisory support to local troops battling the insurgents.
Al-Shabab has waged an insurgency against Somalia’s federal government for nearly two decades and remains one of East Africa’s most potent militant groups. Despite years of military pressure, the group continues to control or exert influence over parts of rural Somalia and has carried out attacks across the country, including against U.S. and African Union forces supporting the government.
