A sweeping escalation in military operations is unfolding across Somalia in 2025. Under President Donald Trump’s administration, U.S. airstrikes in Somalia have more than doubled compared to last year, heavily targeting the Islamic State (ISIS) and Al-Shabaab.
While American forces have rapidly increased their aerial drone campaigns, regional ground troops in Somalia’s Puntland region have dealt severe blows to ISIS fighters. Meanwhile, Al-Shabaab insurgents continue to press aggressive offensives in central Somalia, forcing the national government to mobilize additional defensive forces.
Trump Administration Ramps Up Military Operations
President Trump authorized a wave of precision military operations in Somalia shortly after returning to the White House. According to the United States Africa Command (AFRICOM), the military had conducted 43 strikes by late June 2025. This figure represents more than double the total number of U.S. airstrikes carried out during the entirety of the previous year.
The primary focus of these operations has been ISIS-Somalia positions in Puntland, alongside strikes directed at Al-Shabaab. President Trump announced the initial attacks on Truth Social, stating he personally ordered precision airstrikes targeting a senior ISIS attack planner and other terrorists.
Trump emphasized that the operations were highly successful and avoided civilian casualties. He stated the terrorists were found hiding in caves and posed a direct threat to the United States. According to the president, the strikes destroyed the cave networks and eliminated many militants without harming innocent civilians.
Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth released a statement confirming these claims, noting that initial assessments indicated multiple operatives were killed in the remote Golis Mountains with no civilian casualties. David Sterman, a deputy director at New America, noted that this surge in strikes relates closely to the perceived threat from recent Al-Shabaab offensives that have reversed prior Somali government gains.
Puntland Ground Forces Rout Islamic State
In coordination with the escalating U.S. air campaign, regional forces in Puntland launched a major ground offensive against ISIS strongholds. The military push began on February 4, 2025, when Puntland troops assaulted terrorist positions near the village of Qurac. ISIS fighters resisted fiercely, utilizing drones, suicide bombers, and infantry charges.
Regional officials reported that 15 soldiers died in the initial clashes. However, the heavy fighting forced the terrorists to abandon their positions, leaving behind at least 57 dead. Puntland forces systematically captured caves and villages, ultimately routing the Islamic State from the strategic 40-kilometer Togjaceel Valley.
Surviving ISIS fighters broke into three separate groups and fled. One group attempted to escape toward the mountainous Karinka Qandala area, while two larger groups fled toward Tog Miraale and Tog Curaar. Officials reported that the group traveling northwest was subsequently hit by airstrikes near Miraale Village.
Horn of Africa security analyst Samira Gaid stated that ISIS miscalculated by directly facing Puntland forces. Gaid estimated that about 500 ISIS fighters were killed during the battles, noting the group suffered grave losses and is unlikely to recover in the short to medium term.
Al-Shabaab Presses Central Somalia Offensive
While ISIS faces heavy losses, Al-Shabaab has intensified its campaigns in central Somalia. In April 2025, the insurgent group launched an assault on Adan Yabaal, a strategic town 245 kilometers north of Mogadishu used as a staging area for government forces.
The attack resulted in sharply conflicting reports. Captain Hussein Olow, a military official in the town, claimed government troops successfully repelled the attackers. Conversely, Al-Shabaab asserted its fighters had captured the entire town along with ten military sites. Somali President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud had personally visited Adan Yabaal the previous month to confer with military leaders about fortifying defenses.
This assault followed significant advances by the Al-Qaeda affiliate, which briefly seized villages within 50 kilometers of Mogadishu. The proximity of these attacks prompted fears of a direct assault on the capital, forcing the Somali government to deploy police officers and prison guards to the front lines.
Shifting Regional Security Dynamics
The security landscape continues to evolve rapidly. By August 2025, U.S. and Puntland forces further intensified their joint anti-ISIS operations. This combined military campaign escalated just as Egypt officially joined the African Union mission in Somalia, adding a new layer of international presence to the ongoing conflict.
