Trump authorizes 529 airstrikes in 5 months, nears Biden’s 4-year total

In the first five months of his second term, President Donald Trump has overseen 529 U.S. airstrikes, nearly matching the 555 recorded during all four years of Joe Biden’s presidency, according to data cited by The Telegraph. Most of Trump’s strikes have targeted Houthi militants in Yemen, but his administration has also hit targets in Somalia, Iraq, Syria and Iran.

Trump has not authorized strikes in Afghanistan or Libya but has opened a new front by ordering attacks on Iran’s nuclear program. 

“The U.S. military is moving faster, hitting harder and doing so with fewer constraints,” Clionadh Raleigh, president and chief executive officer of Armed Conflict Location and Event Data, told The Telegraph.

Where have the strikes been concentrated?

Yemen has seen the heaviest bombardment, with 470 strikes since January, according to ACLED. In March, Trump escalated the campaign against Iran-backed Houthis, who have continued to disrupt Red Sea shipping. Despite the scale of the campaign — costing more than $1 billion — Houthis sank two ships in July.

In Somalia, the U.S. targeted the Islamic State and al-Shabaab. On Feb. 1, American forces killed at least 14 militants, including Omani national Ahmed Maeleninine, described by Somali officials as a recruiter and financier tied to attacks in the U.S. and Europe.

Trump also authorized strikes in Syria, including a June 10 operation that killed Islamic State commander Rakhim Boev. A March airstrike in Iraq killed senior ISIS leader Abu Khadijah.

Why were strikes launched on Iran?

The highest-profile strikes this year came on June 22, when Trump ordered an assault on three nuclear facilities in Iran amid the 12-day war between Israel and Iran. Two facilities, including the Fordo enrichment plant, were hit with massive GBU-57 “bunker buster” bombs, while Tomahawk missiles bombarded a third site.

Trump says the operation destroyed Iran’s nuclear program, calling it “one of the most successful military strikes in history.” A Pentagon assessment found that Iran’s program was degraded by as much as two years, while an independent analysis by the International Institute for Strategic Studies concluded the strikes significantly disrupted the program but did not destroy key Iranian facilities.

How is Trump’s strategy being received?

Trump has defended the campaign as “peace through strength,” but the uptick in airstrikes has caused friction within his political base. Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, R-Ga., criticized the actions as inconsistent with Trump’s non-interventionist campaign promises.

“I got elected on the exact same campaign promises that President Trump got elected on,” Greene told CNN last month. “We promised no more foreign wars, no more regime change.”

Still, polling showed strong support among MAGA voters. An NBC News Decision Desk Poll showed 84% backing the Iran strikes. Traditional Republicans also supported the actions, though with slightly less intensity.

Is this a shift in U.S. foreign policy?

Experts say Trump’s actions raise questions about how he defines ending wars. 

Raleigh warned the strategy may increase risks for civilians and U.S. allies while deepening concerns about executive overreach.

“Is air power being used to avoid deeper conflict,” she said, “or just manage from above?”