US conducts first airstrike in Somalia under Biden

A Pentagon spokesperson said there were no civilian casualties from the strike.

The Pentagon announced Tuesday that the United States launched its first airstrike in Somalia under President Joe Biden.

The strike was against al Shabaab militants, an Al Qaeda-linked terrorist and insurgent group that aims to topple the Somali government and replace it with Islamic sharia law, according to Reuters.

"A battle-damage assessment is still pending due to the ongoing engagement between al-Shabaab and Somali forces," Pentagon spokeswoman Cindi King said Tuesday, according to The Hill. She said the attack took place “in the vicinity of Galkayo, Somalia,” a city in the country's center.

King said that no civilians were harmed as a result of the strike.

The Somali government confirmed the strike, saying it occurred just before noon. The U.S. Africa Command worked together with the Somali government, which frequently work together to carry out strikes against the insurgent group.