The U.S. military launched an airstrike against al-Shabaab fighters in Somalia on Tuesday, the second since the weekend, the Defense Department said Wednesday.
The newest strike targeted a group of the al Qaeda-linked fighters several hundred miles southwest of the capital Mogadishu and is part of stepped up U.S. operations in the restive country under President Trump.
The Defense Department confirmed two earlier attacks on the Islamic militant group, one Sunday, since Trump ordered more military involvement in March to keep Somalia from becoming a safe haven for international terrorism.
The U.S. is supporting local Somali forces and the airstrike was defensive, according to the DoD.
