US Bombs Somalia for 54th Time in 2026 as AFRICOM Intensifies al-Shabaab Campaign

AFRICOM conducted its 54th airstrike in Somalia in 2026 on April 13, targeting al-Shabaab near the village of Mido in the Lower Juba region, roughly 55 miles northwest of Kismayo. The strike coincided with a ground operation by Somali forces and local Jubaland troops that reportedly killed 27 al-Shabaab militants across the districts of Jilib, Xagar, and Afmadow. The intensifying air campaign reflects heightened US counterterrorism activity alongside the ongoing Iran war operations.