US Africa Command said in a press release on Wednesday night that its forces launched another airstrike in Somalia on February 17 as the Trump administration continues its record-breaking bombing campaign in the country.
The command said the strike targeted al-Shabaab in the vicinity of Harbole, a village about 46 miles northwest of the southern port city of Kismayo.
As usual, AFRICOM offered no other details about the strike, and there have been no statements from the US-backed Somali government about military operations in the area that day. “Specific details about units and assets will not be released to ensure continued operations security,” AFRICOM said.
A day before the February 17 strike, the US conducted an airstrike in Somalia’s northeastern Puntland region that AFRICOM said targeted the ISIS affiliate, which is based in caves in a remote mountain region.
The Trump administration has overseen a major escalation in US airstrikes in Somalia, which came after President Trump loosened the rules of engagement for the US military in early 2025. AFRICOM launched at least 124 airstrikes in Somalia in 2025, shattering the previous annual record for US airstrikes in the country, which President Trump set at 63 during his first term in 2019.
This year, the US is on track to break the 2025 record if it maintains its current pace. The latest strike marks at least the 36th time the US bombed Somalia in 2026, which included 26 airstrikes in January alone.
