Since returning to the Oval Office, President Donald Trump has overseen a rapid buildup of U.S. military action abroad. In the first year of his second term, he has authorized operations ranging from the unprecedented use of bunker-busting bombs against Iran’s most heavily fortified nuclear facilities to a protracted naval campaign against drugs off the coast of Venezuela.
Although he describes himself as a “president of peace,” Trump presents the expansion of military power as an implementation of his “peace through strength” strategy. At his inaugural ball in January, he emphasized that the success of his presidency would be judged not only by the battles won but also by the wars ended — or those in which the United States never got involved. He said his “proudest legacy” is that of a peacemaker and unifier.
Here’s a look at where the U.S. military was operating overseas in 2025.
Somalia – February 1st and Beyond
The first major strike of the second Trump administration was against the Islamic State in Somalia. The U.S. Secretary of Defense said the goal was to degrade ISIS’s ability to plan and carry out terrorist attacks that threaten American citizens, allies, and civilians. The operation has evolved into a sustained U.S. military presence against ISIS affiliates in East Africa.
Iraq – March 13
In Anbar province, a US-led coalition strike killed ISIS’s second-in-command, Abdullah Maqdi Muslih al-Rifai, as well as another insurgent. The Iraqi prime minister described al-Rifai as “one of the most dangerous terrorists in Iraq and the world.”
Yemen – March 15 to May 6
In mid-March, an air campaign against the Iranian-backed Houthi rebels began. According to the Pentagon, the strikes hit command and control centers, air defense systems, and advanced weapons production and storage facilities. The operation, using JASSM, JSOW and Tomahawk missiles, cost more than $1 billion in its first month and was concluded on May 6 after an Oman-brokered ceasefire.
Iran – June 22
Operation “Midnight Hammer” involved the dispatch of seven B-2 stealth bombers from Whiteman Air Force Base in Missouri, targeting deep-buried nuclear facilities. GBU-57 bombs were dropped on Fordow and Natanz, while a US Navy submarine launched dozens of Tomahawk missiles at Isfahan. Trump said the “complete elimination” of Iran’s enrichment capabilities had been achieved, an assessment disputed by Tehran. The Pentagon estimates that Iran’s nuclear program is delayed by up to two years.
Caribbean and Eastern Pacific – since September 2
Since September, the US has been conducting a sustained naval campaign of deadly strikes aimed at dismantling powerful cartels and disrupting the flow of Venezuelan drugs. Trump has spoken of the “largest armada ever assembled in South America,” and has promised more reinforcements. At least 106 people have been killed in attacks on suspicious vessels.
Syria – December 19
Operation “Hawkeye Strike” was launched in retaliation for the deaths of two American soldiers and a political interpreter in a terrorist attack. Fighter jets, attack helicopters and artillery struck more than 70 ISIS targets in central Syria, according to CENTCOM. The operation is named after the fallen from Iowa, the “Hawkeye State.”
Nigeria – December 25
On Christmas Day, Trump announced airstrikes against ISIS in Nigeria. He said the goal was to protect Christians, who he said were being massacred by radical Islamists, choosing the date for symbolic reasons. The operation involved more than a dozen Tomahawk missiles and was coordinated with the Nigerian military.
Venezuela – December and beyond
Finally, the CIA reportedly carried out a drone strike on a facility in Venezuela—the first known U.S. strike inside the country since the escalation of pressure on the Maduro government. According to CNN, the target was a dock used by the Tren de Aragua gang to store and prepare drugs for shipment.
