US Air Campaign In Somalia Intensifies As 2026 Strike Count Tops 80

GOOBJOOG NEWS|MOGADISHU: The United States has carried out more than 80 airstrikes in Somalia since the beginning of 2026, highlighting the sustained pace of Washington’s military campaign against Al-Shabaab and Islamic State militants in the country.

The latest confirmed operation targeted Al-Shabaab near Qumbi in Lower Juba on September 8, according to the United States Africa Command (AFRICOM). The location is approximately 80 kilometres northwest of Kismayo.

AFRICOM said the strike was conducted in coordination with Somalia’s Federal Government but did not disclose casualties or provide details about the aircraft, weapons or military units involved, citing operational security.

The September 8 operation has been reported as the 81st U.S. airstrike in Somalia this year based on AFRICOM announcements, reflecting an unusually high tempo of American military activity in the country.

Independent tracking, however, produces a slightly different count. New America, a U.S.-based research organisation that monitors American military operations in Somalia, has placed the number higher, reflecting differences in how individual strikes and operations are recorded.

New America’s methodology includes both operations acknowledged by AFRICOM and some reported U.S. operations that have not been publicly confirmed by the command. This means the different totals should not necessarily be treated as contradictory.

The latest strike also forms part of a concentration of U.S. operations against Al-Shabaab in southern Somalia. Qumbi and surrounding areas of Lower Juba have been targeted repeatedly this year, including previous U.S. strikes in March, June and July.

The pattern suggests that Lower Juba remains a major focus of U.S.-Somali operations against Al-Shabaab, particularly in areas around the approaches to Kismayo and territory where the militant group continues to operate.

While U.S. strikes earlier in the year heavily targeted Islamic State positions in the Golis Mountains of Puntland, the focus has shifted markedly towards Al-Shabaab in recent months. New America reported in August that no U.S. strike against Islamic State in Somalia had been recorded since May 6, while strikes against Al-Shabaab continued.

Washington says its operations are conducted alongside the Somali government and security forces and are intended to degrade the ability of militant groups to threaten U.S. forces and citizens.

AFRICOM has generally released limited information on individual strikes, making independent assessment of casualties and the operational impact of the campaign difficult.