U.S. Africa Command (AFRICOM) conducted a precision airstrike against ISIS-Somalia on June 12, 2025, about 45 miles southeast of Bosaso, Puntland—underscoring Washington’s sustained effort to neutralize threats at their origin before they can reach American shores.
Bosaso is a strategic port city in the semi-autonomous Puntland State of Somalia, located on the Gulf of Aden. This region sits along key maritime corridors vital to global trade and has long been a bastion for both licit economic activity and illicit militant movement. While Puntland enjoys a degree of self-governance, it remains under Somalia’s federal jurisdiction and has frequently partnered with U.S. and Somali national forces to combat transnational, armed groups groups.
The June 12 airstrike, conducted in coordination with the Federal Government of Somalia, targeted ISIS-Somalia operatives—reinforcing AFRICOM’s posture of persistent engagement and precision targeting in the Horn of Africa. As with previous operations, AFRICOM Public Affairs reported no civilian casualties and withheld details about the specific units and platforms employed in the strike, citing operational security.
In a statement accompanying the strike announcement, AFRICOM emphasized, “These operations are a critical part of our broader mission to counter violent extremist organizations that threaten U.S. personnel and interests across the region.” The command reiterated that such actions are carried out under established authorities and international law, and in close consultation with Somali counterparts.
The June 12 strike marks the 22nd U.S. airstrike in Somalia this year, reflecting a rapid operational tempo. Between February and May 2025, AFRICOM executed 22 airstrikes, which were targeting either ISIS-Somalia or al-Shabaab. Most strikes have occurred in remote or semi-urban areas where ISIS-Somalia is known to operate training camps, logistics hubs, or leadership enclaves.
Speaking before the House Armed Services Committee on June 10, AFRICOM Commander General Michael Langley warned lawmakers that ISIS-Somalia, while small in number, presents an “outsized” risk due to its “external operations capability and global aspirations.” Langley noted, “They have both the intent and the potential reach to inspire or direct attacks beyond the continent—including the United States.”
Langley’s testimony reinforced a central tenet of AFRICOM’s posture: defending forward. “We cannot allow space for these groups to metastasize,” he told members of Congress. “The best way to protect the U.S. homeland is to degrade and disrupt them before they get the chance.”
AFRICOM’s targeting of ISIS-Somalia also carries significant symbolic and tactical weight. The group has exploited Puntland’s challenging terrain and uneven governance to regroup after earlier losses. Targeting their safe havens directly undermines their ability to expand recruitment, gain international notoriety, and stage attacks. It also signals U.S. resolve in supporting African partners while maintaining a light footprint—a model that has become increasingly preferred in global counterterrorism operations.
From a homeland security perspective, AFRICOM’s Somalia campaign represents a layered defense strategy—one that reflects both preventive deterrence and strategic containment. According to multiple national security analysts, groups like ISIS-Somalia and al-Shabaab remain ideologically committed to targeting Western interests, even if operational capability is currently localized.
By engaging them in coordination with local forces, the U.S. minimizes the need for large-scale deployments while maintaining the ability to neutralize emergent threats. As Langley explained to lawmakers: “It’s about balance—persistent engagement, yes, but also enabling local governments to take the lead.”
AFRICOM’s approach also aligns with the National Defense Strategy’s emphasis on integrated deterrence—leveraging allies, intelligence, and precision capabilities to limit adversaries’ freedom of movement. The Somalia campaign is a real-time application of this doctrine, where ISR (intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance) assets, actionable intelligence, and drone technology converge in coordinated strikes.
Still, questions remain about the long-term sustainability of such operations. Somali forces, while increasingly capable, remain stretched thin. Political instability, corruption, and clan-based divisions continue to impede centralized control, raising concerns about the staying power of gains made by airpower alone.
Despite these limitations, the tempo and precision of recent strikes suggest that the U.S. sees ISIS-Somalia as a clear and present danger—not just to regional stability, but to U.S. national security. The strategic calculus appears grounded in the belief that a weakened ISIS-Somalia today equals fewer threats against the U.S. tomorrow.
In Langley’s own words: “We are not chasing shadows. We are targeting nodes of violent extremism that, if left unchecked, will reach beyond their borders—and ours.”
As AFRICOM continues to conduct these airstrikes, the broader intelligence and defense communities will be watching closely—not only for tactical outcomes, but for signals of whether this “defend forward” doctrine is sufficient to outpace evolving threats in East Africa and beyond.
