Targeting

U.S., allies launch “large-scale” strikes on Islamic State targets across Syria after Palmyra attack U.S. and allied forces carried out large-scale strikes against the Islamic State group across Syria today, the U.S. military said, describing the operation as a direct response to last month’s attack that killed three Americans in the ancient city of Palmyra. U.S. Central Command said in a statement on X that “the strikes today targeted ISIS throughout Syria” as part of Operation Hawkeye Strike, launched after a Dec. 13…

Red Sea flashpoint: Israel’s North Western State of Somalia recognition collides with Türkiye’s long game in Somalia In the strategic waters that link the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden, two storylines are converging with destabilizing force. Israel’s December 2025 recognition of North Western State of Somalia, the breakaway region abutting the Bab al-Mandab Strait, has injected a new geopolitical shock into a corridor already strained by Houthi attacks on commercial shipping and retaliatory Israeli airstrikes in Yemen. The…

Trump orders blockade of sanctioned oil tankers to and from Venezuela, escalating pressure campaign President Donald Trump ordered a “total and complete” blockade of sanctioned oil tankers heading to and from Venezuela, intensifying a months-long U.S. military buildup in the Caribbean and sharpening Washington’s confrontation with President Nicolás Maduro’s government. “Today, I am ordering A TOTAL AND COMPLETE BLOCKADE OF ALL SANCTIONED OIL TANKERS going into, and out of, Venezuela,” Trump wrote on his Truth Social…

MOGADISHU — Jubbaland’s Darwish forces launched a sweeping security operation Saturday in the town of Qooqaani in Somalia’s Lower Jubba region, targeting areas used by Al-Shabab and working to secure key routes linking the town to surrounding districts, regional officials said. Security chief Mahmoud Adan Hassan Gaaboow, who directed the mission, said troops searched access roads and nearby settlements that have served as transit points for the militant group. The operation is intended to curb ambushes and roadside…

Somalia says intelligence raid strikes al-Shabab leadership in Jilib; separate operation reported to kill 13 near Afgooye MOGADISHU — Somalia’s intelligence service said Thursday its forces carried out an overnight operation in Middle Juba targeting senior al-Shabab commanders inside the militant group’s longtime stronghold of Jilib. The National Intelligence and Security Agency, known as NISA, said the mission zeroed in on leadership elements within al-Shabab but did not disclose casualties or the extent of damage.…

WASHINGTON — President Donald Trump used his Thanksgiving message to attack Somali-Americans and propose sweeping new immigration restrictions, singling out Minnesota and offering no evidence for claims that refugees are driving crime and economic turmoil. In remarks posted online, Trump asserted that “hundreds of thousands of refugees from Somalia are completely taking over the once great State of Minnesota,” and described “Somalian gangs” roaming the streets. He did not provide data to support the statements. He also…

This afternoon, the head of Georgia's Election Commission found himself in quite a bizarre predicament—drenched in paint just as he was set to announce the final outcomes from last month’s parliamentary elections. Giorgi Kalandarishvili was the unintended target of a paint bombardment from David Kirtadze, a representative of the opposition party, during a meeting in Tbilisi meant for the electoral body. The audacious act took place at a gathering involving election commission officials and delegates from every party that…

Recently, Russia ramped up its offensive against Kyiv, unleashing a wave of drones and missiles, marking the capital's first combined aerial assault in over 70 days. According to officials, the situation poses significant concerns for residents and defenses alike. This latest aggression unfolds amidst increasing alarms from Washington and Seoul, echoing Ukraine’s distress signals regarding North Korean troops reportedly entering combat alongside Russian forces right at the border of their conflict. Ukrainian air defense…

On October 31, Mali's transitional national council approved a law that criminalizes homosexuality, a move that casts a long shadow over the nation’s LGBTQI+ community. This newly minted legislation heightens the dangers of stigma, discrimination, and violence against individuals identifying as part of this community across Mali. This isn't just a recent shift; Mali's human rights landscape has dramatically declined since January. The government has rolled out harsh measures targeting opposition groups, mainstream media,…

Picture this: a computer screen flashing a cyberattack warning. A group of cyber bandits swiped a whopping $350,000 from a Somali solar energy company by rerouting their funds. Mogadishu (AX) — In a daring cyber-heist revealing alarming flaws, hackers drained over $350,000 slated for a Somali solar venture. The hit spotlighted gaps in security at India-based International Solar Alliance (ISA). The intended recipients, Hayle Barise Energy Solutions, are paving the way for solar development in Somalia. Instead, the cash…